The connection between personal factors and burnout among medical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction Work in the severe conditions of the pandemic has become a risk factor for the deterioration of the medical workers’ psychological state, which together can lead to professional burnout and, as a consequence, to professional mistakes (Pervichko, Konyukhovskaya, 2020). Objectives The aim of the research was to study the connection between personal factors of medical workers and professional burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The degree of professional burnout was assessed using Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) (Maslach, 2000; Vodopianova, Starchenkova, 2008), HEXACO Personality Inventory (short version) was used to study personality traits (Ashton, Lee, 2007; Egorova, et al., 2019). The study was conducted from May 2020 to October 2022. The sample consisted of 197 medical workers (32 men and 165 women), whose average age was 38.85±12.05. Results Honesty as a personality trait is negatively significantly associated with emotional exhaustion (r=-0.268, p=0.000), depersonalization (r=-0.323, p=0.000) and positively associated with a smaller reduction in professionalism (r=0.290, p=0.000). Emotionality in medical workers is positively significantly associated with emotional exhaustion (r=0.358, p=0.000) and depersonalization (r=0.243, p=0.001) and with a greater reduction in professionalism (r=-0.380, p=0.000). Extroversion is negatively associated with emotional exhaustion (r=-0.478, p=0.000) and depersonalization (r=-0.376, p=0.000) and positively associated with a smaller reduction in professional achievements (r=0.566, p=0.000). Benevolence and conscientiousness reveal negative associations with depersonalization (r=-0.248, p=0.001; r=-0.180, p=0.012) and positive associations with a smaller reduction in professionalism (r=0.190, p=0.008; r=0.301, p=0.000). Conclusions Thus, the state of emotional exhaustion during burnout is associated with greater emotionality, less honesty and extroversion. Whereas depersonalization and a greater negative assessment of one’s own professional competence and productivity is associated with less honesty, more emotionality, less extroversion, benevolence and consciousness. Disclosure: Research is supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project No. 21-18-00624. Disclosure of Interest None Declared