The psychological impact of COVID-19 on frontline doctors in Tshwane public hospitals

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic placed immense pressure on frontline doctors. Burnout is a  psychological syndrome that develops in response to chronic work stress. It consists of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP)  and reduced personal accomplishment (PA). Burnout is associated with personal dysfunction and compromises the work profession  and patient safety. International studies suggest burnout is exacerbated during a pandemic.

Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional observational study. Respondents included frontline doctors working in emergency  medicine, family medicine and internal medicine during COVID-19 in Tshwane public hospitals. The survey included two  validated questionnaires, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21. The aim was to determine the  prevalence and severity of burnout, psychological and somatic symptoms in frontline doctors.

Results: Of the 163 participants, we found  clinical burnout to be present in 58.9% (n = 96) and extreme burnout in 19.6% (n = 32). Moderate to extremely severe levels of stress,  anxiety and depression were present in 55.1% (n = 90), 43.6% (n = 71) and 22.1% (n = 36) of participants, respectively. We found significant  correlations between burnout and psychological symptoms. Increased levels of burnout, anxiety, depression and stress were  found to be meaningfully associated with adverse somatic symptoms.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrated an insufferably high  prevalence of burnout and psychosomatic symptoms in frontline doctors during COVID-19. In the event of future pandemics, more  measures should be taken to support frontline doctors.

Contribution: Pandemic-associated burnout and its psychophysical  consequences have not been studied in frontline doctors in South Africa.