Frequency of burnout syndrome among health care workers during COVID-19 pandemic

Background: COVID-19 pandemic increased the prevalence of burnout syndrome. Aim: To describe the prevalence of burnout syndrome in health care workers of a private clinic in the Metropolitan Region of Chile. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study, the study population were health care workers of a private clinic. An online version of Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey was applied during June 2020. Variables such as age, sex, marital status, number of children, service, occupation, and night shift were studied. Results: We collected 846 responses. A 36% (95% confidence intervals (CI) [32,8-39,2]) prevalence of high levels of burnout syndrome was found. Thirty one percent (95% CI [28,1-34,3]) of the respondents had high levels of emotional exhaustion (AE), 33% (95%CI [29,8-36,2]) had low personal fulfillment (RP) and 30% (95%CI [26,6-32,7]) had high levels of depersonalization (DP). Conclusions: Healthcare workers showed concerning levels of burnout syndrome. It is recommended to pay special attention to high levels of emotional exhaustion in nursing and night shift staff. Institutions should develop and apply prevention and emotional support strategies in health personnel.