The COVID-19 Pandemic's Effect on Medical Professionals' Occupational and Personal Lives
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v11i3.2818Keywords:
COVID-19, pandemic, effects, medical professionals, occupational, personal, livesAbstract
Burnout is common among all medical professionals. The rate of burnout prior to 2020 was relatively stable (Hasan,
2020). The onset of the pandemic was predicted to greatly increase burnout among medical professionals,
particularly those on the frontline. The aim of this study was to determine how medical professionals have been
affected by the pandemic, in addition to occupational changes due to their level of job satisfaction. Clough et. Al
(2019) provided a template for survey questions, as well as a means for comparing post-pandemic scores to their
pre-pandemic scores. We use quantitative data from the Stigma of Occupational Stress Scale for Doctors (SOSS-D)
to evaluate stigma towards stress and burnout, in addition to qualitative interviews to have a better understanding of
how they were overall affected by the pandemic. Contradicting the initial hypothesis, it was found that medical
professionals have a decreased risk of burnout after the pandemic, yet they experience more discrimination at the
workplace than from society itself. In addition to this, more young medical professionals are considering switching
professions due to the pandemic effects than those who have more experience in their field. The most common
reason was due to their concerns for the safety of family members.
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