The Role of Short-Form Video Apps in Mitigating Occupational Burnout and Enhancing Life Satisfaction Among Healthcare Workers: A Serial Multiple Mediation Model

<b>Background</b>: The intersection of occupational burnout and digital leisure activities has garnered increasing scholarly attention in recent years. However, limited research has examined how Chinese healthcare workers engage with short-form video apps as a stress management tool. <b>Objectives</b>: This study employs a serial multiple mediation model to explore the impact of occupational burnout on the use of short-form video apps and its subsequent effects on a sense of community, intrinsic rewards, and life satisfaction among Chinese healthcare workers aged 18-34. <b>Methods</b>: Data were collected through an online survey, with 362 valid responses, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, hierarchical regression, and mediation analyses, including serial mediation via SPSS 25.0. <b>Results</b>: The results demonstrate a positive direct association between occupational burnout and the use of short-form video apps. Furthermore, the relationship between the use of short-form video apps and life satisfaction was mediated through two distinct pathways, namely, a sense of community and intrinsic rewards. <b>Conclusions</b>: These findings contribute to the expanding body of literature on the role of digital media in stress management and well-being among healthcare workers, as well as highlighting evidence-based digital interventions to support healthcare workers' well-being in high-stress settings.