Exhaustion in Healthcare Workers after the First Three Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Marina Ruxandra Oțelea, Agripina Rașcu, Cătălin Staicu, Lavinia Călugăreanu, Mădălina Ipate, Silvia Teodorescu, Ovidiu Persecă, Angelica Voinoiu, Andra Neamțu, Violeta Calotă and Dana Mateș
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Marina Ruxandra Oțelea: Clinical Department 5, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
Agripina Rașcu: Clinical Department 5, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
Cătălin Staicu: National Center for Monitoring Community Risks, National Institute of Public Health, 050463 Bucharest, Romania
Lavinia Călugăreanu: National Center for Monitoring Community Risks, National Institute of Public Health, 050463 Bucharest, Romania
Mădălina Ipate: Regional Center of Public Health, National Institute of Public Health, 700465 Iași, Romania
Silvia Teodorescu: National Center for Monitoring Community Risks, National Institute of Public Health, 050463 Bucharest, Romania
Ovidiu Persecă: Regional Center for Public Health, National Institute of Public Health, 400349 Cluj Napoca, Romania
Angelica Voinoiu: National Center for Monitoring Community Risks, National Institute of Public Health, 050463 Bucharest, Romania
Andra Neamțu: National Center for Monitoring Community Risks, National Institute of Public Health, 050463 Bucharest, Romania
Violeta Calotă: National Center for Monitoring Community Risks, National Institute of Public Health, 050463 Bucharest, Romania
Dana Mateș: National Center for Monitoring Community Risks, National Institute of Public Health, 050463 Bucharest, Romania

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-15

Abstract: This study aims to identify the determinants of exhaustion of frontline and second-line healthcare workers (HCW) during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A case–control study was conducted based on an anonymously distributed questionnaire, which was completed by 1872 HCW. Exhaustion was assessed with a validated Romanian questionnaire. The Siegrist questionnaire was used to determine workload, reward and overcommitment. Frontline HCW reported significantly more frequent longer working hours ( p = 0.0009) and a better perception of the management of the risk for infection ( p = 0.0002) than second-line HCW. The effort and overcommitment scores were higher in frontline HCW (9.51 + 1.98 vs. 8.45 + 21, p < 0.001 and 16.34 ± 2.80 vs. 15.24 ± 2.94, p < 0.001, respectively) and the reward scores were lower (5.21 ± 1.522 vs. 5.99 ± 1.44, p < 0.001). In the fully adjusted regression model, age, imbalance between effort and reward, overcommitment and management of the risk of infection in the workplace were associated with the exhaustion score in each category of HCW. The number of working hours was correlated with exhaustion in frontline HCW and occupation in second-line HCW. There were more similarities than differences between frontline and second-line HCW. Even if frontline HCW had a higher risk of exhaustion, the risk was not negligible for all HCW.

Keywords: exhaustion; healthcare workers; COVID-19; effort/reward score; overcommitment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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