Evaluation of Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Burnout Levels Among Emergency and Intensive Care Unit Professionals

Introduction Emergency departments (ED) and intensive care units (ICU) are high-stress environments where healthcare professionals are continuously exposed to critical situations. This results in substantial mental health burdens, leading to increased levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout. These issues negatively affect both the well-being of professionals and patient care. Objectives This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout among ED and ICU professionals. The goal is to understand mental health issues and identify contributing factors to improve prevention and support systems. Methods A total of 242 healthcare professionals from Bezmialem Vakif University Hospital were included: 120 ICU staff (80 females, 40 males), 66 ED personnel (42 females, 24 males), and 56 office personnel (38 females, 18 males) serving as a control group. The study employed validated instruments: the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, and Maslach Burnout Inventory. Non-parametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis H and Chi-Square) were used due to non-normal data distribution, with pairwise comparisons adjusted using Bonferroni correction. The significance level was set at p &lt; 0.05. Results The results showed significant differences in age, depression scores, stress levels, and burnout indicators between the ICU, ED, and control groups. ICU and ED staff reported significantly higher depression scores compared to the control group (p &lt; 0.001). Stress levels were also significantly elevated in ICU workers compared to office personnel (p = 0.001). Burnout indicators were notably higher in ICU professionals (p = 0.011). Conversely, no significant differences were observed in anxiety scores, emotional exhaustion, and hours of sleep. Table 1: Summary of Key Results Variable ICU Personnel (n = 120) ED Personnel (n = 66) Office Personnel (Control, n = 56) p-value Significant Difference Beck Depression Score (Median) 10 10 6 &lt;0.001 Yes Beck Anxiety Score (Median) 8 7 6 0.064 No Perceived Stress Score (Median) 25.5 23 23 0.001 Yes (ICU vs. Office) Maslach Depersonalisation Score (Median) 23.5 21 21 0.011 Yes (ICU vs. Office) Maslach Personal Accomplishment Score (Median) 23.5 22 21 0.034 Yes (ICU vs. ED) Maslach Emotional Exhaustion Score (Median) 22 21 21 <jats:td colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign=