Occupational Stress and Burnout Among Health Care Workers in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

To estimate the pooled national burden of occupational stress, burnout, and contributing factors among health care workers in Ethiopia.

Both published and unpublished observational studies conducted on the burden of occupational stress and burnout among health workers in Ethiopia were included.

This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020166585). The eligibility of the studies was evaluated based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Data extraction was conducted using major databases; PubMed, Google Scholar, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, Scopes, Cochrane Library, the Web of Science, and African Journals Online were involved in the review. Two reviewers extracted data independently using a standardized data extraction checklist on Microsoft Excel. Any discrepancy was resolved by including the third reviewer for a possible consensus.

Fourteen studies, with a total of 4066 health care workers, were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled burdens of occupational stress and burnout were 52.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 46.2-59.7) and 39.1% (95% CI, 23.9-52.3), respectively. Major determinants of occupational stress were being female (odds ratio [OR], 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.3), being younger (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.03-1.9), having a lower educational level (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.05-7.2), and being satisfied with a job (OR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.2-0.5). Being married (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.5-0.9), having a lower educational level (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.4-0.8), and working in shifts (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.5-0.9) were significant predictors of burnout.

More than half and more than one-third of health care workers were affected by occupational stress and burnout, respectively, in Ethiopia, and sociodemographic and occupation-related factors were significant factors. Measures that improve job satisfaction, career development, and educational opportunities should be strengthened.