The Importance of Personal Protective Equipment Education Opportunities and Messages of Encouragement at the Workplace to Reduce Burnout: Crosssectional Survey after the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan

ABSTRACT

Background. The rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a considerable mental strain on frontline healthcare workers (HCWs). Although a number of studies have reported on burnout during the peak of the pandemic, few studies have analyzed it after the pandemic temporally subsided. This study aimed to identify which intervention or support was helpful to reduce the physical and mental burden during the pandemic. Methods. An online cross-sectional survey of HCWs from June 15 to July 6, 2020, was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Tokyo, Japan. Demographic characteristics, results of the Japanese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, types of anxiety and stress, changes in life and work after the peak of the pandemic, and types of support aimed at reducing the physical or mental burden, were determined. Results. Out of 672 HCWs, 149 (22.6%) met the overall burnout criteria. Figure 1 showed the comparison of what helped reduce their physical and mental burden between the burnout group and the non-burnout group. After adjusted by the potential covariates, burnout was more prevalent in women (OR, 3.11;95% CI, 1.45-6.67;p = .003), and had heightened anxiety due to unfamiliarity with PPE (OR, 1.98;95% CI, 1.20-3.27;p=.007). Conversely, participants who reported that PPE education opportunities (OR, .484;95% CI, .236-.993;p = .048) and messages of encouragement at the workplace (OR, .584;95% CI, .352-.969;p = .037) helped reduce their physical and mental burden had less burnout. Conclusion. The educational interventions for PPE and messages of encouragement at the workplace may be needed to reduce the mental burden for HCWs.