The Prevalence of Burnout and Mental Health Symptoms Among ICU Professionals in Greece: A National Comparative Study Between the COVID-19 Pandemic and Pre-pandemic Eras.

Objective This study aimed to assess the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on burnout, mental health, and spirituality/religiosity among ICU professionals. Methods A multicenter, national, cross-sectional study was conducted in 31 adult ICUs across Greece. A compilation of three questionnaires assessing responders' level of burnout [Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)], responders' spirituality and religious attitudes [Spiritual and Religious Attitudes Questionnaire (SpREUK)], and finally, responders' mental health [Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCL-90)] was distributed to ICU professionals in 2022. Responses were compared to those of a similar cohort of ICU professionals who had responded before the pandemic (2015). Results Overall, 1,013 ICU professionals participated (440 from the pre-pandemic period and 573 from the pandemic period). The prevalence of burnout increased during the pandemic (35.95 ±16.11%) compared to the pre-pandemic (30.62 ±15.39%, p<0.001) period. In particular, ICU professionals during the pandemic period scored worse across all three burnout categories: emotional exhaustion (25.80 ±10.93 vs. 22.27 ±10.96, p<0.001), depersonalization (10.40 ±6.51 vs. 8.68 ±6.25, p<0.001), and personal accomplishment (31.36 ±8.63 vs. 35.06 ±7.50, p<0.001) compared to the pre-pandemic period. In addition, during the pandemic period, participants reported experiencing more mental health symptoms and had a higher Global Severity Index (0.56 ±0.44 vs. 0.913 ±0.73, p<0.001), indicating a decline in mental health. Finally, participants during the pandemic era scored worse in the spirituality scale (overall score: 36.20 ±12.54 vs. 39.11 ±12.34, p<0.001), a significant mechanism associated with resilience and burnout risk factor. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increased burnout, worsened mental health, and reduced spirituality among ICU professionals in Greece. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted national and international policies and interventions to support the well-being and resilience of frontline healthcare workers.