Health-care systems all around the globe are facing challenging difficulties fighting with the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact. The Health care providers are working all round the clock tirelessly to deal with these difficult times, increased work demands and related stress. 

This burnout has caused depressive symptoms in front line healthcare workers and non-front line health care workers, such as a psychiatrist. 

Psychiatrists have an important role during the pandemic as they are the source of psychological support and reassurance to the public and frontline workers. Thus, their mental wellbeing is equally important to meet these needs.

A study assessed the prevalence of burnout and depressive symptoms, and their correlation, during the COVID-19 pandemic among psychiatry residents in Saudi Arabia. It utilized the feedback of 121 psychiatry residents in Saudi Arabia, who completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Patient’s Health Questionnaire for the assessment of burnout and depressive symptoms. 

Burnout symptoms were found in 27.3%, depression symptoms in another 27.3% and both burnout and depressive symptoms in 16.5%.

Participants in the first 2 years of training and those with a history of receiving mental health treatment in the past 2 years were found to be at higher risk. 

The study thus necessitated the urgent need to increase investment in mental health services. It also emphasized constructing a plan to reduce the risk of burnout and depression among psychiatrists by developing preventative strategies for them.

Source: Alkhamees, A.A., Assiri, H., Alharbi, H.Y. et al. Burnout and depression among psychiatry residents during COVID-19 pandemic. Hum Resour Health 19, 46 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-021-00584-1