J Korean Med Assoc.  2021 Sep;64(9):636-646. 10.5124/jkma.2021.64.9.636.

The effects of COVID-19 on physician’s burnout: a systematic review

• Kang MJ
• Park JH

• KMID: 2520195
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2021.64.9.636

Abstract

Background
To suggest measures to prevent burnout of physicians during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we conducted a systematic review of research on physician burnout due to COVID-19.
Methods
Three foreign databases were used: MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. A search was performed using the following search terms: COVID-19, coronavirus, NCOV, physicians, doctors, residents, and burnout. Four rounds of review were performed to enhance the consistency of quality assessment. The Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies was used to assess the quality of the eligible studies.
Results
A total of 465 studies were identified, of which 32 were selected. The quality assessment determined that 19 studies met the Joanna Briggs Institute criteria and had a low risk of bias. The most common tool used to measure physician burnout in the 32 studies was the Maslach Burnout Inventory.
Conclusion
This study systematically evaluated the literature on physician burnout. However, the generalizability of our findings to Korean physicians may be limited. The composition of the medical personnel in Korea, such as open doctors, volunteer doctors, medical professors, and public health doctors, differs significantly from that of other countries. Nevertheless, evaluating the current status of physician burnout due to COVID-19 globally may hold meaningful implications for policymaking.

Keyword

COVID-19; Physicians; Professional burnout; Stress; Systematic review; 코로나바이러스19; 의사; 번아웃; 스트레스; 체계적 문헌고찰