A recent study by researchers from Universidad San Francisco de Quito and Johns Hopkins University sheds light on the mental health challenges faced by healthcare workers in Ecuador during the COVID-19 pandemic. Published in Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, the research explores the relationship between compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress among healthcare professionals working in public institutions across the country.
The study surveyed 2,873 healthcare providers from 111 public institutions in 23 provinces between February and July 2022. Using the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL V5), the researchers assessed self-reported levels of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. The findings revealed that 84.9% of healthcare workers reported high compassion satisfaction. However, 57.1% experienced moderate burnout, with higher rates in the Amazon region. Additionally, 59.6% of participants reported moderate secondary traumatic stress, which was linked to burnout levels.
The study also highlighted significant differences based on gender, professional roles, and geographic regions. Male healthcare workers exhibited slightly higher levels of burnout than females. Physicians, in particular, reported the highest burnout rates compared to nurses and first responders.
The researchers emphasize the need for further studies to understand the factors contributing to burnout in low-resource settings. They also stress the importance of creating mental health policies that specifically address the needs of healthcare providers in Ecuador and other similar countries.
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