The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has introduced a new initiative called Impact Wellbeing to address the growing crisis of mental health problems among healthcare workers. The initiative aims to help doctors and nurses deal with burnout, which affected nearly half of the healthcare workforce in 2022.
The mental health crisis among healthcare workers has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with high levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout being reported during the pandemic. However, the issue of burnout among healthcare workers existed before the pandemic and has persisted. According to the CDC, nearly 50% of healthcare workers experienced burnout in 2022, compared to 32% in 2018.
A CDC study found that healthcare workers experience worse mental health outcomes than employees in other industries, and a significant percentage of healthcare workers intend to look for new jobs. Healthcare workers also face higher suicide rates, with some specialties having significantly higher rates.
The Impact Wellbeing program includes a questionnaire to collect information on healthcare workers’ wellbeing, a guide for leaders to facilitate discussions about mental health care, and strategies for supervisors to help employees balance work and home life. The program is part of a federal law enacted in 2022, aimed at addressing the mental health issues faced by healthcare workers.
The mental health crisis among healthcare workers has prompted discussions about removing “intrusive” mental health questions from hospital credentialing applications to encourage healthcare workers to seek help without fear of repercussions. Multiple organizations have called for these changes to remove barriers to seeking mental health care.
The new CDC initiative seeks to address the mental health needs of healthcare workers and prevent burnout, stress, and anxiety among this essential workforce.
