Occupational burnout and job satisfaction among physicians in times of COVID-19 crisis: a convergent parallel mixed-method study

Abstract

Background Healthcare professionals including physicians were subjected to an increased workload during the COVID-19 crisis, leaving them exposed to significant physical and psychological distress. Therefore, our present study aimed to (i) assess the prevalence of burnout and levels of job satisfaction among physicians in Jordan, and (ii) explore physicians’ opinions, experiences, and perceptions during the pandemic crisis. Methods This was a mixed-method study that utilized a structured web-based questionnaire and semi-structured individual interviews. The 10-Item Burnout Measure-Short version (BMS), and the 5-Item Short Index of Job Satisfaction (SIJS) were adopted to assess occupational burnout and job satisfaction, respectively. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, based on a conceptual framework that was developed from Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Motivation and Job Demands-Resources Model. Descriptive statistics and regression models, as well as inductive thematic analysis, were used to analyze quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Results A total of 973 survey responses and 11 interviews were included in our analysis. The prevalence of burnout among physicians was (57.7%). Several significant factors were positively associated with burnout, including female gender, working at highly loaded hospitals, working for long hours, doing night shifts, lack of sufficient access to personal protective equipment, and being positively tested for SARS-CoV-2. Regarding job satisfaction, regression analysis revealed that age was positively associated with higher levels of job satisfaction. On contrary, being a general practitioner or specialist, working at highly loaded hospitals, low salaries, and suffering from burnout have predicted lower levels of job satisfaction. Besides, four themes have emerged from the thematic analysis: (i) Work-induced psychological distress during the pandemic, (ii) Decision-driven satisfactory and dissatisfactory experiences, (iii) Impact of the pandemic on doctor-patient communication and professional skills, and (iv) Economic impacts of the pandemic crisis and lockdown. Conclusion A significant physical and psychological burden was associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Reliable efforts should be implemented aiming at protecting physicians’ physical and mental wellbeing, enhancing their working conditions, and raising awareness about burnout. Evidence-based decisions and proper utilization of financial and human resources at institutional and national levels are believed to be crucial for the sustainability of the health workforce, especially in crises.

The Experiences of Nurses and Physicians Caring for COVID-19 Patients: Findings from an Exploratory Phenomenological Study in a High Case-Load Country

“…These worries might reflect the sense of responsibility among HCWs towards their patients. This finding is congruent with Italian and Jordanian studies which found that most of the physicians and nurses were very anxious about spreading COVID-19 to the people around [12,40]. However, the results showed that worries about dealing with COVID-19 patients diminish with time.…”

“…Quantitative studies have shown that frontline healthcare providers who treat patients with COVID-19 have greater risks of mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, and stress [11]. Frontline physicians and nurses who had no expertise in dealing with infectious diseases had additional challenges when they shifted into an entirely new work environment [11,12]. The widespread transmission of the virus has intensified challenges in healthcare systems in most countries.…”

“…Consequently, this led to the overwhelming of both the healthcare system and the health workforce. Besides, the pandemic existence in the country has imposed significant psychosocial and health impacts on HCWs and various components of the society as well [4,12,[21][22][23][24][25][26]. In addition, various changes have affected health services delivery in response to the repercussions of the pandemic and its mitigation measures in Jordan, and this may exhibit unprecedented effects on the HCWs [12,27,28].…”

“…Besides, the pandemic existence in the country has imposed significant psychosocial and health impacts on HCWs and various components of the society as well [4,12,[21][22][23][24][25][26]. In addition, various changes have affected health services delivery in response to the repercussions of the pandemic and its mitigation measures in Jordan, and this may exhibit unprecedented effects on the HCWs [12,27,28]. This study aimed at exploring the lived experiences of HCWs in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic to gain insights into the most efficient ways to support them.…”

Beliefs Toward Smoking and COVID-19, and The Pandemic Impact on Smoking Behavior and Quit Intention: Findings from a Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study in Jordan

“…The successive pandemic waves accompanied by many factors such as people's non-compliance to the recommended health precautions, pandemic fatigue, and the pandemic-induced psychologic and economic impacts were all believed to have negative impacts on the epidemic situation in Jordan (9)(10)(11). Also, the successive pandemic waves have impacted the health system imposing a signi cant burden on healthcare institutions and the health workforce in the country (9,12).…”