Occupational Burnout and Fatigue Among Healthcare Workers: A Pressing Issue in Shanghai, China

Research has highlighted the critical issues of occupational burnout and fatigue affecting healthcare workers globally, with complex and overlapping work-related stressors being insufficiently understood. A recent study conducted at Fudan University aimed to investigate the associations between multiple work-related stressors and occupational burnout and fatigue among healthcare workers in Shanghai, China. The study used a cross-sectional survey of 2695 healthcare workers to assess work-related stress, occupational burnout, and fatigue. The findings emphasized the urgent need for targeted interventions to reduce occupational stress and mitigate its adverse effects on healthcare workers.

Key Takeaways:

• The study found that 77.0% and 71.2% of participants experienced occupational burnout and fatigue, respectively.
• A strained doctor-patient relationship was the highest-rated work-related stressor among healthcare workers.
• All work-related stressors, including career development, interpersonal relationships, work-life imbalance, physical environment, doctor-patient relationship, social environment, and workload, were significantly associated with burnout (b: 0.444~0.956).
• The study concluded that targeted interventions, including workload management, career development programs, and mental health support, are necessary to reduce occupational stress and mitigate its adverse effects on healthcare workers.
• The research emphasizes the importance of understanding complex and overlapping work-related stressors to develop effective interventions for healthcare workers.

Statistics:

• 77.0% of participants experienced occupational burnout.
• 71.2% of participants experienced fatigue.
• 2695 healthcare workers participated in the cross-sectional survey.
• The study used a self-administered electronic questionnaire to assess work-related stress, occupational burnout, and fatigue.
• The research found that a strained doctor-patient relationship was the highest-rated work-related stressor, with a rating of b: 0.444~0.956.

Sources:

• Occupational Stress, Burnout, and Fatigue Among Healthcare Workers in Shanghai, China: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Survey. Healthcare, 2025;13(13):1600.
• Jiayun Ding et al. Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health.
• Mdpi, St Alban-Anlage 66, Ch-4052 Basel, Switzerland.