Burnout in Primary Health Care Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Associated Factors

Introduction: Burnout is considered a public health problem, meaning that it is important to address it in a pandemic health care scenario. Objective: To analyze burnout in association with sociodemographic and work characteristics of Primary Health Care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods: This is a quantitative study conducted from September 2021 to February 2022 in a municipality in southern Brazil, with 295 professionals, 224 of whom had been working for at least six months. Participants answered an electronic form with sociodemographic and work-related variables and the Burnout Assessment Tool scale. The data was analyzed using Poisson regression, with a p-value < 0.10. Results: Emotional exhaustion was more prevalent among community health workers (r = 0.37; p = 0.01) and nurses (r = 0.52; p = 0.04). Participants with a good diet had lower emotional exhaustion (r = 0.64; p < = 0.001) and a decline in emotional control (r = -0.97; p < 0.001); older age was associated with lower exhaustion (r = - 0.20; p < 0.001). The use of continuous medication was associated with better mental detachment (r = 0.39; p = 0.01). Community health workers had less cognitive decline (r = 0.61; p = 0.09). Conclusion: This study emphasizes the need to build a healthy work environment, promote self-care, and reduce occupational stress to mitigate burnout among professionals working during the COVID-19 pandemic.