Prevalence of burnout among healthcare workers in six public referral hospitals in northeastern Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has placed considerable psychological stress on frontline healthcare workers (HCWs). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of burnout syndrome among HCWs facing the COVID-19 outbreak. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study conducted in six public intensive care units (ICUs) in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil. METHODS: An online survey was conducted among HCWs to measure the three dimensions of burnout. RESULTS: A total of 62 physicians (23.4%), 65 nurses (24.5%), 58 nurse technologists (21.9%) and 80 physiotherapists (30.2%) completed the questionnaire. Nearly half of the participants (48.6%) had high levels of emotional exhaustion, and almost one-third of them (29.4%) had high levels of depersonalization. Low levels of professional efficacy were observed in 18.1% of the sample. The independent determinants of depersonalization burnout were age < 33 years (odds ratio, OR 2.03; 95% confidence interval, CI 1.15-3.56; P = 0.01) and female gender (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.18-0.62; P = 0.01). Increased workload was associated with both depersonalization (OR 2.37; 95% CI 2.02-5.50; P = 0.04) and emotional exhaustion (OR 1.89; 95% CI 1.04-3.58; P = 0.030). CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on the dimensions of depersonalization and emotional exhaustion. Consideration of these dimensions is important when designing future burnout prevention programs for frontline personnel.

Ansiolíticos e antidepressivos dispensados na Atenção Básica: análise de custos e interações medicamentosas / Anxiolytics and antidepressants drugs dispensed in Primary Care: cost analysis and drug interactions

Objetivo: Identificar o quantitativo, descrever o custo dos fármacos e verificar as possíveis interações medicamentosas entre os ansiolíticos e antidepressivos dispensados pela farmácia básica dos municípios do estudo. Métodos: Estudo quantitativo, transversal e retrospectivo, realizado em municípios da região serrana cearense. A amostra foi colhida através dos livros de registros na Central de Abastecimento Farmacêutico e foram incluídos somente os medicamentos padronizados e comuns aos quatro municípios estudados, distribuídos gratuitamente à população. Resultados: Foram identificados 693 pacientes que receberam ansiolíticos e antidepressivos nos meses de janeiro e fevereiro de 2014 nos municípios. O medicamento em maior uso foi o amitriptilina, seguido pelo diazepam e fluoxetina. Apesar dos antidepressivos constituírem 54% das unidades de medicamentos dispensadas, o seu custo correspondeu a 72% dos gastos com ansiolíticos e antidepressivos. Foi verificada a existência de interações medicamentosas importantes entre os medicamentos do estudo. Conclusões: Evidencia-se que um percentual expressivo da população estudada faz uso de psicofármacos ansiolíticos e antidepressivos, distribuição semelhante a estudos de base populacional em regiões brasileiras.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the quantitative, to describe the cost of drugs and to check for any drug interactions between anxiolytic and antidepressant dispensed by the pharmaceutical care at the municipalities of the study. Methods: Quantitative, cross-sectional and retrospective study conducted in municipalities located in Ceará mountain region. The sample was taken through the books of records in Central Pharmaceutical Supply. Only the standard drugs and common to all four cities studied, distributed free to the public were included. Results: 693 patients who received antidepressants and anxiolytics in January and February 2014 in the municipalities were identified. Amitriptyline was the most used drug, followed by diazepam and fluoxetine. Despite antidepressants constitute 54% of dispensed drug units, their cost accounted for 72% of spending on antidepressants and anxiolytics. There were found significant drug interactions between the study drugs. Conclusions: A significant percentage of the study population uses anxiolytics and antidepressants, distribution similar to population-based studies in Brazilian regions.