Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety and burnout levels in emergency healthcare workers: a questionnaire study

Abstract BackgroundDuring the COVID19 pandemic, an increase in anxiety and burnout levels may occur unwittingly due to the increased workload and intense stress experienced by emergency healthcare workers dealing with potential or suspected COVID-19 and other emergency patients. In our study, it is aimed to investigate whether there is an increase of anxiety and burnout levels of the healthcare workers working in ES and pandemic fields fighting against the outbreak of COVID-19 in Turkey, compared to other healthcare workers.MethodsThe study was carried out between April 1 to May 15, 2020, with the online questionnaire method with the participation of 920 healthcare workers that are working actively in pandemic hospitals, emergency call ambulances, primary healthcare institutions and dental hospitals across the country. In the questionnaire, the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants were questioned, and Beck anxiety scale (BAI) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were applied. ResultsThe median age of the participants was 35.00 (minimum 20, maximum: 65), 59.2% were female and 40.8% were male. 22.3% of the personnel were working in the ES, 20.9% in the ambulance, 12.2% in the pandemic polyclinics. The pandemic area and the intensive care workers' BAI score are similar to those in the emergency service and ambulance (p = 0.05). The MBI-desensitization score of those working in the field of ED, ICUs and pandemics was higher than other places (p <0.05). The MBI-emotional score of the emergency and ambulance workers was higher (p = 0.001), and the MBI-personal accomplishment score was lower than radiology, laboratory and office personnel (p=0.049).ConclusionsThe COVID-19 outbreak may create stress in healthcare workers, leading to various psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, and burnout syndrome. Early recognition, prevention and coping methods of burnout and anxiety in healthcare workers play a key role in during the pandemic period.