Factors associated with emotional exhaustion in healthcare professionals involved in the COVID-19 pandemic: an application of the job demands-resources model

<p>Dataset from&nbsp;Barello S, Caruso R, Palamenghi L, Nania T, Dellafiore F, Bonetti L, Silenzi A, Marotta C, Graffigna G. Factors associated with emotional exhaustion in healthcare professionals involved in the COVID-19 pandemic: an application of the job demands-resources model. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2021 Nov;94(8):1751-1761. doi: 10.1007/s00420-021-01669-z. Epub 2021 Mar 3. PMID: 33660030; PMCID: PMC7928172.</p> <p>Abstract</p> <p><strong>Purpose:&nbsp;</strong>The purpose of the present cross-sectional study is to investigate the role of perceived COVID-19-related organizational demands and threats in predicting emotional exhaustion, and the role of organizational support in reducing the negative influence of perceived COVID-19 work-related stressors on burnout. Moreover, the present study aims to add to the understanding of the role of personal resources in the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R) by examining whether personal resources-such as the professionals&#39; orientation towards patient engagement-may also strengthen the impact of job resources and mitigate the impact of job demands.</p> <p><strong>Methods:&nbsp;</strong>This cross-sectional study involved 532 healthcare professionals working during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. It adopted the Job-Demands-Resource Model to study the determinants of professional&#39;s burnout. An integrative model describing how increasing job demands experienced by this specific population are related to burnout and in particular to emotional exhaustion symptoms was developed.</p> <p><strong>Results:&nbsp;</strong>The results of the logistic regression models provided strong support for the proposed model, as both Job Demands and Resources are significant predictors (OR = 2.359 and 0.563 respectively, with p &lt; 0.001). Moreover, healthcare professionals&#39; orientation towards patient engagement appears as a significant moderator of this relationship, as it reduces Demands&#39; effect (OR = 1.188) and increases Resources&#39; effect (OR = 0.501).</p> <p><strong>Conclusions:&nbsp;</strong>These findings integrate previous findings on the JD-R Model and suggest the relevance of personal resources and of relational factors in affecting professionals&#39; experience of burnout.</p>