Observational Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Psychiatry. Feb 19, 2025; 15(2): 98496
Published online Feb 19, 2025. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i2.98496
Evaluation of the prevalence and risk factors of burnout syndrome among healthcare workers: A cross-sectional study
Nur Adam Mohamed, Yusuf Abdirisak Mohamed, Rahma Yusuf Haji Mohamud, Adan Ali Gabow
Nur Adam Mohamed, Yusuf Abdirisak Mohamed, Adan Ali Gabow, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mogadishu Somali-Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu 2526, Somalia
Yusuf Abdirisak Mohamed, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Somali National University, Mogadishu 2526, Somalia
Rahma Yusuf Haji Mohamud, Department of Nursing, Mogadishu Somali-Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu 2526, Somalia
Author contributions: Mohamed NA and Mohamed YA conceived, designed, and refined the study protocol; Mohamud RYH and Gabow AA were responsible for data collection and ensuring its accuracy; Mohamed NA and Mohamud RYH analyzed and interpreted the data; Mohamed NA, Mohamed YA, and Gabow AA drafted the manuscript. All authors contributed to the critical review of the results, and have read, approved, and contributed to the final manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: This study was approved by the Mogadishu Somali-Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan Training and Research Hospital’s Institutional Review Board (Approval No: MSTH/17683). All methods were carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.
Informed consent statement: Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study before study enrollment.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement-checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement- checklist of items.
Data sharing statement: sharing statement: No additional data are available.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Nur Adam Mohamed, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mogadishu Somali-Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan Training and Research Hospital, Hodan Street, Mogadishu 2526, Somalia. nurmohed01@gmail.com
Received: June 27, 2024
Revised: December 16, 2024
Accepted: December 25, 2024
Published online: February 19, 2025
Processing time: 200 Days and 23 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Burnout syndrome is a significant issue among healthcare professionals worldwide, marked by depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and a reduced sense of personal achievement. This psychological and physical burden profoundly affects healthcare professionals' quality of care and overall well-being. In Somalia, where the healthcare system faces numerous challenges, the escalating demand for medical services and inadequate resources, coupled with overwhelming workloads, long hours, and high-stress levels, make healthcare providers particularly vulnerable to burnout syndrome. This, in turn, affects both the mental health of healthcare personnel and the quality of care they provide.

AIM

To examine the prevalence and determinants of burnout syndrome among healthcare practitioners in Mogadishu, Somalia.

METHODS

This cross-sectional prospective study was performed among 246 healthcare providers employed at a tertiary care hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia, who were recruited via random sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires that covered sociodemographic, psychological, work-related characteristics, and burnout syndrome. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the variables that correlated with burnout syndrome. The results were presented using adjusted odds ratios (AORs), 95%CIs, and P values, with a cutoff of 0.05 for identifying significant associations.

RESULTS

Among the participants, 24% (95%CI: 18.8%–29.8%) exhibited symptoms of burnout syndrome. Factors associated with burnout included female gender (AOR = 6.60; 95%CI: 2.29-19.04), being married (AOR = 3.07; 95%CI: 1.14-8.28), being divorced or widowed (AOR = 5.84; 95%CI: 1.35-25.35), working more than 7 night shifts (AOR = 3.19; 95%CI: 1.30–7.82), having less than 5 years of job experience (AOR = 5.28; 95%CI: 1.29-21.65), experiencing poor sleep quality (AOR = 5.29; 95%CI: 1.88-14.89), and exhibiting depressive (AOR = 4.46; 95%CI: 1.59-12.53) and anxiety symptoms (AOR = 7.34; 95%CI: 2.49-21.60).

CONCLUSION

This study found that nearly one in four healthcare professionals suffers from burnout syndrome. Improving sleep quality, monitoring, and providing mental health support could enhance their well-being and patient care.

Keywords: Burnout syndrome; Risk factors; Healthcare workers; Mogadishu; Somalia

Core Tip: This study investigates the prevalence and risk factors associated with burnout syndrome among healthcare workers at a tertiary care hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia. The results reveal a significant correlation between various risk factors, including being female, experiencing poor sleep quality, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. These results indicate the necessity for interventions aimed at enhancing sleep quality, monitoring and providing mental health support, managing workloads, and fostering a supportive work environment to improve both the well-being of healthcare providers and the quality of patient care.