Follow-Up Survey on Smart Device Use and Burnout Among Health Science Educators After COVID-19

To replicate a 2014 study assessing perceived levels of stress, burnout, and health-related concerns among health science educators related to smart device use, while incorporating additional questions to compare usage before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and to evaluate whether precautionary measures influenced smart device usage.

A questionnaire was sent to program directors working in the accredited health science disciplines of exercise physiology and athletic training, nursing, radiologic sciences, and respiratory care. The survey was used to determine whether there was an increase in the use of smart devices and increases in stress and health effects related to the use of smart devices since the 2014 study before the COVID-19 pandemic.

A comparison of data from the 2014 study with that from the current study revealed scores for emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment had decreased based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (MBI-ES).

The decrease in emotional exhaustion and depersonalization scores from before to after the COVID-19 pandemic indicates a reduction in burnout among participants. However, a decreased score for personal accomplishment in 2024 shows that educators reported lower levels of personal accomplishment compared with scores from before the pandemic.

Educational institutions and policymakers should formulate strategies that aim to foster a healthier balance between the advantages of technology and the well-being of health science educators, thereby enhancing their capacity to deliver quality education amidst evolving challenges. Future research should focus on the reasons for the reported decrease in personal accomplishment scores among educators.