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Prevalence of Burnout Among Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Literature Review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 June 2025

Beebee Zeba Mahetaab Mubarak Jan  and
Sumera Bibi Keenoo
Beebee Zeba Mahetaab Mubarak Jan
Affiliation:
King’s College University, London, United Kingdom
Sumera Bibi Keenoo
Affiliation:
University of Mauritius, Reduit, Mauritius
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Abstract

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Aims: Burnout among healthcare workers has been a significant issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This review aims to synthesise the existing literature on the prevalence, signs, symptoms, and risk factors of burnout among healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Methods: This systematic review follows the PRISMA guidelines. We searched the Web of Science and Scopus for relevant studies published between January 2020 and December 2022. Inclusion criteria were studies reporting burnout prevalence among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were extracted and analysed using a structured framework

Results: The review included 50 studies, with a total sample size of 30,000 healthcare workers. Prevalence of burnout varied significantly across regions, with the highest rates reported in Saudi Arabia (75%) and Kuwait (76.9%). Common symptoms included emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and reduced personal accomplishment. Key risk factors identified were high work demands, lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), and prolonged working hours.

Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental health of healthcare workers, leading to high burnout rates. Tailored interventions are needed to address this issue and support healthcare workers during global health emergencies.

Type
Research
Information
BJPsych Open , Volume 11 , Supplement S1: Abstracts from the RCPsych International Congress 2025, 23–26 June , June 2025 , pp. S58
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Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Royal College of Psychiatrists

Footnotes

Abstracts were reviewed by the RCPsych Academic Faculty rather than by the standard BJPsych Open peer review process and should not be quoted as peer-reviewed by BJPsych Open in any subsequent publication.

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