Features of stress perception and emotional burnout among employees of medical institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the most affected group of the population were medical workers who had higher risks of infection, illness and psycho-emotional destabilization. The aim of the study is to assess the peculiarities of perception and response to stressful factors in the conditions of the COVID–19 pandemic of medical institutions’ employees and the degree of their emotional burnout. Materials and methods. The study was conducted in two consecutive stages by means of an online survey using questionnaires specially developed on the Google platform. At the initial stage, during the “second wave” of the pandemic (November–December 2020), using the “Perceived stress Scale-10”, the peculiarities of perception and response to stress of medical institution employees were analyzed. At the second stage, in the “third wave” of the pandemic (June-July 2021), according to a special questionnaire by K. Maslach and S. Jackson, an assessment of staff burnout was carried out. The criterion for inclusion in the study is the status of an employee of a medical institution; the exclusion criterion is the absence of the fact of work in a medical institution. Results. A significant variability of overstrain indicators in the stress perception subscale was revealed, with a greater representation of “low” values. Analysis of the parameters on the stress counteraction subscale showed their homogeneity and greater severity of “high” indicators. A high degree of emotional burnout of employees has been established. Risk groups for the formation of emotional burnout syndrome were employees of non-medical specialties, females, with work experience of up to 5 years. Limitations. Only employees of medical organizations participated in the online survey. Conclusion. As a result of the study, data were obtained on the psycho-emotional state of medical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, potential risk groups for the formation of emotional burnout syndrome were identified, requiring primarily professional psychological assistance and support.