BURNOUT RISK AMONG ANESTHESIOLOGISTS AND INTENSIVE CARE PHYSICIANS IN UKRAINE UNDER WARTIME CONDITIONS

I. Zavgorodniі; O. Litovchenko; D. Stukalkina; E. Sushchenko; A. Shenher; V. Kapustnyk; B. Thielmann; I. Boeckelmann

doi:10.32402/

Authors

I. Zavgorodniі Private Establishment of Higher Education "University of Medicine and Social Sciences", Kharkiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7803-3505 Author
O. Litovchenko Kharkiv National Medical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5286-1705 Author
D. Stukalkina Kharkiv National Medical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8049-5925 Author
E. Sushchenko Kharkiv National Medical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6717-4728 Author
A. Shenher Kharkiv National Medical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5676-2464 Author
V. Kapustnyk Kharkiv National Medical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4543-8343 Author
B. Thielmann Department of Occupational Medicine, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5192-4949 Author
I. Boeckelmann Department of Occupational Medicine, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3905-3527 Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32402/

Keywords:

burnout syndrome; occupational stress; anesthesiologists; wartime; MBI-GS; professional efficacy.

Abstract

Mental health of anesthesiologists and intensive care physicians remains an important public health concern as this professional group is particularly susceptible to burnout due to the extreme emotional demands.

THE OBJECTIVE of this study was to assess the impact of wartime working conditions on the risk of occupational burnout syndrome among anesthesiologists and intensive care physicians in Ukraine in 2023 compared to the pre-war period in 2021.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. A total of 115 physicians from Kharkiv participated in a voluntary, anonymous paper-based survey. Seventy-three participated in 2021 during the pandemic, and 42 participated in 2023 during active hostilities. Burnout risk was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey (MBI-GS), which encompasses three dimensions: Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Cynicism (CY), and Professional Efficacy (PE). Burnout risk was classified according to Kalimo et al. (2003). The Mann-Whitney U test (p ≤ 0.05) was used to test for statistical significance between cohorts.

RESULTS. The percentage of physicians experiencing high levels of emotional exhaustion increased from 21.9% in 2021 to 28.6% in 2023. The proportion reporting high cynicism rose from 39.7% to 47.6%. In contrast, the proportion of physicians reporting high reduction in professional efficacy decreased significantly, dropping from 49.3% in 2021 to 16.7% in 2023 (p ≤ 0.002). The overall burnout risk (Kalimo classification) increased from 2.7% in 2021 to 4.8% in 2023 (p = 0.060).

CONCLUSIONS. Wartime conditions have been linked with increased emotional exhaustion and cynicism among anesthesiologists in Ukraine. Paradoxically, their perceived professional efficacy has improved, likely reflecting heightened professional motivation, collective solidarity, and adaptive resilience in response to wartime stress. The findings underscore the urgent need for systematic psychological support programs for this vulnerable professional group.

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