Family physicians in kansas response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction The novel coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) has spread rapidly with vast global implications. This study assessed how family physicians in Kansas responded to COVID-19 and the effects of the pandemic on the physicians' well-being. Methods. The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of 113 family physicians in Kansas between May 22, 2020 and June 25, 2020. The study participants completed an anonymous, 18-item survey assessing family physicians' concerns about being exposed to COVID-19, levels of personal depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout in addition to demographic information. Results. There was a 45.6% response rate, with 50.4% (n=57) of the respondents reporting manifestations of burnout. The physicians who personally treated any presumptive or confirmed COVID-19 patient, compared to those who did not, were more likely to report at least one manifestation of burnout (odds ratio[OR]=3.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38-11.36; P = .011), experience emotional exhaustion (OR=3.21; 95% CI, 1.01-10.10; P<.05), and feel a higher level of personal stress (OR=1.13; 95% CI, 1.01-1.27; P=.011). Conclusion. Our findings demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic may be taking an emotional toll on family physicians in Kansas. This study provides a baseline from which to continue further monitoring of outcomes such as burnout, depression, anxiety, and stress, to determine the need for interventions, and influence the implementation of programs to support physician wellness. These data can help drive wellness and mental health support initiatives at local, state, and national levels to help diminish the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physicians.

Burnout, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Family Physicians in Kansas: 18 Months into the COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: Given the significant turmoil during the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors evaluated burnout and other types of emotional distress experienced by family physicians in Kansas during the second year of the pandemic. The authors compared findings of this study to a similar study conducted 3 months into the pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey of 272 actively practicing family physicians in Kansas was conducted from September 15 to October 18, 2021. A 34-item questionnaire was used to measure the physicians' levels of burnout, personal depression, anxiety, and stress. A mixed method approach was used to collect, analyze, and interpret the data. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test/independent samples t-test, χ2, adjusted odds ratio, and immersion-crystallization methods were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The response rate was 48.9% (n = 133). In aggregate, 69.2% of respondents reported at least 1 manifestation of professional burnout in 2021 compared with 50.4% in 2020; P ≤ .01). The 2021 respondents were at higher odds of experiencing burnout compared with 2020 respondents (aOR = 1.86; 95% CI, 1.00 to 3.57; P = .046). The respondents who reported at least 1 manifestation of professional burnout were more likely to screen positive for depression (aOR = 1.87; 95% CI, 1.31-2.66; P ≤ .01), report higher levels of anxiety (aOR = 1.53; 95% CI, 1.04-2.24; P = .013), and higher levels of stress (aOR = 1.39; 95% CI, 1.17-1.66; P ≤ .001). CONCLUSION: As the COVID-19 pandemic continued, there are significant and worsening rates of professional burnout and other forms of emotional distress among family physicians. These findings suggest timely need for appropriate psychological supports.

Burnout, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Family Physicians in Kansas Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 has spread rapidly, with vast global implications. This study assessed how family physicians in Kansas were responding to COVID-19 and the effects of the pandemic on their well-being. METHODS: The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of 113 family physicians in Kansas between May 22, 2020 and June 25, 2020. The study participants completed an anonymous, 36-item survey assessing their concerns about being exposed to COVID-19 and levels of personal depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout in addition to demographic information. RESULTS: There was a 45.6% response rate, with 50.4% (n = 57) of the respondents reporting manifestations of burnout. The physicians who personally treated any presumptive or confirmed COVID-19 patient, compared with those who did not, were more likely to report at least 1 manifestation of burnout, experience emotional exhaustion, and feel a higher level of personal stress. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic may be taking an emotional toll on family physicians in Kansas. This study provides a baseline from which to continue further monitoring of outcomes. Data can help drive initiatives at local, state, and national levels to help diminish the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physicians.