Prevalence of Burnout Syndrome in healthcare personnel during and after the COVID 19 pandemic in a hospital in Quito, Ecuador
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36097/rsan.v1i66.3600Keywords:
Burnout, COVID-19, Health Personnel, Primary PreventionAbstract
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a global health crisis with severe repercussions for mental health. Healthcare personnel faced high levels of stress, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion due to work overload and the scarcity of resources. This study aimed to characterize the level of Burnout syndrome among healthcare personnel in the Internal Medicine Department of the Hospital General Docente de Calderón, Quito, Ecuador. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted through the voluntary administration of the Maslach Burnout Inventory to healthcare personnel. A total of 53 responses were collected during the pandemic and 24 in the post-pandemic period. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to compare the presence of Burnout syndrome between both periods. Among the main findings, the feeling of emptiness at the end of the workday was higher in the post-pandemic period (p = 0.001). The perceived impact of work and emotional exhaustion increased significantly in the post-pandemic period (p = 0.039 and p = 0.041, respectively). The sense of personal accomplishment and the perception of positively influencing others showed no significant differences between the two periods. The study identified a high level of Burnout syndrome among healthcare personnel, with greater emotional impact during the post-pandemic stage. Workers with less professional experience were the most vulnerable to occupational exhaustion. These findings may guide strategies for prevention and improvement of professional well-being.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Patricio Alejandro Abril López, Miguel Jacob Ochoa-Andrade, Iván Dueñas Espín, Sharon Aileen Salinas Carrillo, Ha Ram Oh
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