Public Health Workforce Burnout in the COVID-19 Response in the U.S

While the health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on frontline health care workers have been well described, the effects of the COVID-19 response on the U S public health workforce, which has been impacted by the prolonged public health response to the pandemic, has not been adequately characterized A cross-sectional survey of public health professionals was conducted to assess mental and physical health, risk and protective factors for burnout, and short- and long-term career decisions during the pandemic response The survey was completed online using the Qualtrics survey platform Descriptive statistics and prevalence ratios (95% confidence intervals) were calculated Among responses received from 23 August and 11 September 2020, 66 2% of public health workers reported burnout Those with more work experience (1–4 vs <1 years: prevalence ratio (PR) = 1 90, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1 08−3 36;5–9 vs <1 years: PR = 1 89, CI = 1 07−3 34) or working in academic settings (vs practice: PR = 1 31, CI = 1 08–1 58) were most likely to report burnout As of September 2020, 23 6% fewer respondents planned to remain in the U S public health workforce for three or more years compared to their retrospectively reported January 2020 plans A large-scale public health emergency response places unsustainable burdens on an already underfunded and understaffed public health workforce Pandemic-related burnout threatens the U S public health workforce’s future when many challenges related to the ongoing COVID-19 response remain unaddressed