A pilot study of burnout and long covid in senior specialist doctors, 2021, Doherty et al

Abstract
Background
Covid-19 has placed unprecedented demand on healthcare systems and on healthcare professionals. There have been concerns about the risk of distress, moral injury and burnout among healthcare professionals, especially doctors.

Aim
To assess the effect of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic on Irish doctors by investigating the incidence of burnout and long covid among senior medical staff in Ireland.

Methods
This is a cross-sectional pilot study of the prevalence of burnout and long covid among senior physicians. A survey was sent by email to members of the Irish Hospital Consultant’s Association. The survey included measures of mental and physical health and the 2-item Maslach Burnout Scale (MBS-2). The study explored the experience of delivering health care in the context of a pandemic and experience of the long covid syndrome.

Results
A total of 114 responses were received. Three-quarters 77% (N = 88) screened positive for burnout on the MBS, with mean score of 5.6 (SD3.3), nearly double the cut-off for burnout. Nearly two-thirds (64%, n = 72) reported that Covid-19 has had an adverse effect on their mental health. One-quarter reported that they or colleagues had experience of ‘long-covid’ secondary to the virus.

Open access, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11845-021-02594-3

 

"Let's run a survey on pandemic burnout and add some questions about long COVID to make it look more relevant."

 

Alternative conclusion: the Maslach Burnout Scale lacks specificity when used by longcovid patients.

 

And so, this is useful information how?

And still looking for more detailed explanation for 'mental health'. Are we talking long term? Or just in the moment? And what sorts of solutions are there for these 'mental health' problems? Anything beyond changing people's attitudes to how they are thinking? Because as a global answer to all of 'mental health' I'm starting to be of the opinion that this solution IS the global mental health crisis.*

* This particular paper probably doesn't warrant my response any more than so many others that came before it. So it may seem a little misplaced. But there are endless 'papers' written seemingly with not much thought just being churned out like sausages. None of them have done a lick of good in the 'mental health' arena so far as I can tell.

Maybe 'mental health' should be given just a little more care and concern for specifics in both what it is and how to deal with it.

 

someone possibly seeking to reduce costs by blaming burnout rather than an occupational hazard for doctors taking early health retirement from what i have seen over the years the English n h s makes things as difficult as possible for nursing staff at least to take health related early retirement with full benefits .