Burnout Prevalence and Its Associated Factors among Malaysian Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic: An
Nurhanis Syazni Roslan1, Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff1, Asrenee Ab Razak2
1Department of Medical Education, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan 16150, Malaysia.
Insights
More than half of Malaysian healthcare workers experienced burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors like direct COVID-19 involvement and lack of support significantly contributed to this widespread issue.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Occupational Health
- Psychology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global healthcare systems and worker well-being.
- Healthcare professionals face unprecedented demands, increasing the risk of burnout.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of burnout among Malaysian healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To identify factors associated with burnout and understand the experiences of these workers.
Main Methods:
- An embedded mixed-method study design was employed.
- Data collection likely involved surveys and qualitative interviews to capture both quantitative and experiential aspects.
Main Results:
- Over half of the surveyed Malaysian healthcare workers reported experiencing burnout.
- Key burnout contributors included direct COVID-19 involvement, pre-existing medical conditions, and insufficient workplace psychological support.
- Participants cited heavy workloads, pandemic-related uncertainty, work-family conflict, and strained workplace relationships as primary sources of stress.
Conclusions:
- Burnout among Malaysian healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic is prevalent and multifactorial.
- Exhaustion was a major symptom, with problem-focused coping strategies being commonly used.
- Negative physical, occupational, psychological, and social impacts were reported, highlighting the need for timely interventions.
Abstract:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global health threat and has placed an extraordinary demand on healthcare workers around the world. In this study, we aim to examine the prevalence of burnout and its associated factors and experience among Malaysian healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic through an embedded mixed-method study design. We found that more than half of Malaysian healthcare workers in this sample experienced burnout. Direct involvement in COVID-19 screening or treatment, having a medical condition, and less psychological support in the workplace emerged to be the significant factors in personal-, work-, and patient-related burnout. Participants described their workloads, uncertainties caused by the pandemic, challenging work-family balance, and stretched workplace relationships as the sources of burnout. Exhaustion appeared to be the major symptom, and many participants utilized problem-focused coping to deal with the adversities experienced during the pandemic. Participants reported physical-, occupational-, psychological-, and social-related negative impacts resulting from burnout. As the pandemic trajectory is yet unknown, these findings provide early insight and guidance for possible interventions.
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