J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2022 Aug;33(4):67-75.

The work and socioeconomic burden of emergency physicians in the COVID-19 pandemic: 2020 Korean Emergency Physician Survey

• Yeo IH
• Lee MJ
• Sim TJ
• Lee HM
• Cho KH
• Kim IB
• Yoon YS
• Park KH
• Park SY
• Kim HJ
• Key DH
• Seo BS
• Joo YM
• Jee CG
• Choi SJ
• Kang JH
• Jung WJ
• Lim DS
• Lee ES

Abstract

Objective
This study evaluated the anxiety, work, and socioeconomic burden of emergency physicians (EP) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in South Korea.
Methods
A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using data from the 2020 Korean Emergency Physician Survey that included the following domains: hospital resources of suspected COVID-19 patients, availability of personal protective equipment, levels of home and workplace anxiety, the severity of work burnout, identification of stressors, changes in personal environments, and measures to decrease stress/anxiety.
Results
Totally, 855 eligible participants were enrolled in the study. A statistically significant deterioration was observed in response to decreased working income or an unstable employment situation (0.46±0.88 points). The median number of patients with confirmed COVID-19 was 2.72. The risk of infection during emergency department (ED) work was found to be significantly increased (P<0.01). Of the 751 respondents (91.4%) who reported patient contact during their survey phase, 516 (62.8%) reported having taken the COVID-19 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test. The major factors that affected worsening of the work burden were determined to be unsuitable inter-hospital transfer arrangements for febrile patients (3.46±1.06 before vs. 1.99±1.16 after the pandemic, P<0.01) and delayed consultation for patients with fever or respiratory symptoms in the ED (3.20±1.06 before vs. 2.66±1.10 after the pandemic, P<0.01).
Conclusion
During the peak phase, the COVID-19 pandemic induced substantial workplace and socioeconomic burdens for Korean EPs. The sustained impact of the pandemic on the wellness of EPs deserves further investigation to guide targeted interventions.

Keyword

COVID-19; Stress; Quality of life; Emergency physician; Survey