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Brain, Behavior, and Immunity Aug 2020COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to significantly affect the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs), who stand in the frontline of this crisis. It is, therefore,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to significantly affect the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs), who stand in the frontline of this crisis. It is, therefore, an immediate priority to monitor rates of mood, sleep and other mental health issues in order to understand mediating factors and inform tailored interventions. The aim of this review is to synthesize and analyze existing evidence on the prevalence of depression, anxiety and insomnia among HCWs during the Covid-19 outbreak.
METHODS
A systematic search of literature databases was conducted up to April 17th, 2020. Two reviewers independently assessed full-text articles according to predefined criteria. Risk of bias for each individual study was assessed and data pooled using random-effects meta-analyses to estimate the prevalence of specific mental health problems. The review protocol is registered in PROSPERO and is available online.
FINDINGS
Thirteen studies were included in the analysis with a combined total of 33,062 participants. Anxiety was assessed in 12 studies, with a pooled prevalence of 23·2% and depression in 10 studies, with a prevalence rate of 22·8%. A subgroup analysis revealed gender and occupational differences with female HCPs and nurses exhibiting higher rates of affective symptoms compared to male and medical staff respectively. Finally, insomnia prevalence was estimated at 38·9% across 5 studies.
INTERPRETATION
Early evidence suggests that a considerable proportion of HCWs experience mood and sleep disturbances during this outbreak, stressing the need to establish ways to mitigate mental health risks and adjust interventions under pandemic conditions.
Topics: Anxiety; Betacoronavirus; COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Depression; Health Personnel; Humans; Nurses; Pandemics; Physicians; Pneumonia, Viral; Prevalence; SARS-CoV-2; Sex Distribution; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
PubMed: 32437915
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.05.026 -
Journal of the National Cancer Institute Mar 2019Barriers to cancer clinical trial participation have been the subject of frequent study, but the rate of trial participation has not changed substantially over time.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Barriers to cancer clinical trial participation have been the subject of frequent study, but the rate of trial participation has not changed substantially over time. Studies often emphasize patient-related barriers, but other types of barriers may have greater impact on trial participation. Our goal was to examine the magnitude of different domains of trial barriers by synthesizing prior research.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that examined the trial decision-making pathway using a uniform framework to characterize and quantify structural (trial availability), clinical (eligibility), and patient/physician barrier domains. The systematic review utilized the PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Ovid Medline search engines. We used random effects to estimate rates of different domains across studies, adjusting for academic vs community care settings.
RESULTS
We identified 13 studies (nine in academic and four in community settings) with 8883 patients. A trial was unavailable for patients at their institution 55.6% of the time (95% confidence interval [CI] = 43.7% to 67.3%). Further, 21.5% (95% CI = 10.9% to 34.6%) of patients were ineligible for an available trial, 14.8% (95% CI = 9.0% to 21.7%) did not enroll, and 8.1% (95% CI = 6.3% to 10.0%) enrolled. Rates of trial enrollment in academic (15.9% [95% CI = 13.8% to 18.2%]) vs community (7.0% [95% CI = 5.1% to 9.1%]) settings differed, but not rates of trial unavailability, ineligibility, or non-enrollment.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings emphasize the enormous need to address structural and clinical barriers to trial participation, which combined make trial participation unachievable for more than three of four cancer patients.
Topics: Clinical Trials as Topic; Decision Making; Eligibility Determination; Humans; Neoplasms; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Patient Participation; Patient Selection; Physician-Patient Relations; Physicians
PubMed: 30856272
DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djy221 -
JAMA Sep 2018Burnout is a self-reported job-related syndrome increasingly recognized as a critical factor affecting physicians and their patients. An accurate estimate of burnout... (Review)
Review
IMPORTANCE
Burnout is a self-reported job-related syndrome increasingly recognized as a critical factor affecting physicians and their patients. An accurate estimate of burnout prevalence among physicians would have important health policy implications, but the overall prevalence is unknown.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the methods used to assess burnout and provide an estimate of the prevalence of physician burnout.
DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTION
Systematic search of EMBASE, ERIC, MEDLINE/PubMed, psycARTICLES, and psycINFO for studies on the prevalence of burnout in practicing physicians (ie, excluding physicians in training) published before June 1, 2018.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Burnout prevalence and study characteristics were extracted independently by 3 investigators. Although meta-analytic pooling was planned, variation in study designs and burnout ascertainment methods, as well as statistical heterogeneity, made quantitative pooling inappropriate. Therefore, studies were summarized descriptively and assessed qualitatively.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Point or period prevalence of burnout assessed by questionnaire.
RESULTS
Burnout prevalence data were extracted from 182 studies involving 109 628 individuals in 45 countries published between 1991 and 2018. In all, 85.7% (156/182) of studies used a version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to assess burnout. Studies variably reported prevalence estimates of overall burnout or burnout subcomponents: 67.0% (122/182) on overall burnout, 72.0% (131/182) on emotional exhaustion, 68.1% (124/182) on depersonalization, and 63.2% (115/182) on low personal accomplishment. Studies used at least 142 unique definitions for meeting overall burnout or burnout subscale criteria, indicating substantial disagreement in the literature on what constituted burnout. Studies variably defined burnout based on predefined cutoff scores or sample quantiles and used markedly different cutoff definitions. Among studies using instruments based on the MBI, there were at least 47 distinct definitions of overall burnout prevalence and 29, 26, and 26 definitions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment prevalence, respectively. Overall burnout prevalence ranged from 0% to 80.5%. Emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment prevalence ranged from 0% to 86.2%, 0% to 89.9%, and 0% to 87.1%, respectively. Because of inconsistencies in definitions of and assessment methods for burnout across studies, associations between burnout and sex, age, geography, time, specialty, and depressive symptoms could not be reliably determined.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In this systematic review, there was substantial variability in prevalence estimates of burnout among practicing physicians and marked variation in burnout definitions, assessment methods, and study quality. These findings preclude definitive conclusions about the prevalence of burnout and highlight the importance of developing a consensus definition of burnout and of standardizing measurement tools to assess the effects of chronic occupational stress on physicians.
Topics: Burnout, Professional; Compassion Fatigue; Depersonalization; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Physicians; Prevalence; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 30326495
DOI: 10.1001/jama.2018.12777 -
JAMA Internal Medicine Feb 2017Burnout is prevalent in physicians and can have a negative influence on performance, career continuation, and patient care. Existing evidence does not allow clear... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
IMPORTANCE
Burnout is prevalent in physicians and can have a negative influence on performance, career continuation, and patient care. Existing evidence does not allow clear recommendations for the management of burnout in physicians.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to reduce burnout in physicians and whether different types of interventions (physician-directed or organization-directed interventions), physician characteristics (length of experience), and health care setting characteristics (primary or secondary care) were associated with improved effects.
DATA SOURCES
MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials were searched from inception to May 31, 2016. The reference lists of eligible studies and other relevant systematic reviews were hand searched.
STUDY SELECTION
Randomized clinical trials and controlled before-after studies of interventions targeting burnout in physicians.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. The main meta-analysis was followed by a number of prespecified subgroup and sensitivity analyses. All analyses were performed using random-effects models and heterogeneity was quantified.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The core outcome was burnout scores focused on emotional exhaustion, reported as standardized mean differences and their 95% confidence intervals.
RESULTS
Twenty independent comparisons from 19 studies were included in the meta-analysis (n = 1550 physicians; mean [SD] age, 40.3 [9.5] years; 49% male). Interventions were associated with small significant reductions in burnout (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.29; 95% CI, -0.42 to -0.16; equal to a drop of 3 points on the emotional exhaustion domain of the Maslach Burnout Inventory above change in the controls). Subgroup analyses suggested significantly improved effects for organization-directed interventions (SMD = -0.45; 95% CI, -0.62 to -0.28) compared with physician-directed interventions (SMD = -0.18; 95% CI, -0.32 to -0.03). Interventions delivered in experienced physicians and in primary care were associated with higher effects compared with interventions delivered in inexperienced physicians and in secondary care, but these differences were not significant. The results were not influenced by the risk of bias ratings.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Evidence from this meta-analysis suggests that recent intervention programs for burnout in physicians were associated with small benefits that may be boosted by adoption of organization-directed approaches. This finding provides support for the view that burnout is a problem of the whole health care organization, rather than individuals.
Topics: Burnout, Professional; Humans; Physicians; Risk Factors
PubMed: 27918798
DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.7674 -
PloS One 2019Empathy and compassion are vital components of health care quality; however, physicians frequently miss opportunities for empathy and compassion in patient care. Despite...
BACKGROUND
Empathy and compassion are vital components of health care quality; however, physicians frequently miss opportunities for empathy and compassion in patient care. Despite evidence that empathy and compassion training can be effective, the specific behaviors that should be taught remain unclear. We synthesized the biomedical literature on empathy and compassion training in medical education to find the specific curricula components (skills and behaviors) demonstrated to be effective.
METHODS
We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL using a previously published comprehensive search strategy. We screened reference lists of the articles meeting inclusion criteria to identify additional studies for potential inclusion. Study inclusion criteria were: (1) intervention arm in which subjects underwent an educational curriculum aimed at enhancing empathy and/or compassion; (2) clearly defined control arm in which subjects did not receive the curriculum; (3) curriculum was tested on physicians (or physicians-in-training); and (4) outcome measure assessing the effect of the curriculum on physician empathy and/or compassion. We performed a qualitative analysis to collate and tabulate effects of tested curricula according to recommended methodology from the Cochrane Handbook. We used the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias.
RESULTS
Fifty-two studies (total n = 5,316) met inclusion criteria. Most (75%) studies found that the tested curricula improved physician empathy and/or compassion on at least one outcome measure. We identified the following key behaviors to be effective: (1) sitting (versus standing) during the interview; (2) detecting patients' non-verbal cues of emotion; (3) recognizing and responding to opportunities for compassion; (4) non-verbal communication of caring (e.g. eye contact); and (5) verbal statements of acknowledgement, validation, and support. These behaviors were found to improve patient perception of physician empathy and/or compassion.
CONCLUSION
Evidence suggests that training can enhance physician empathy and compassion. Training curricula should incorporate the specific behaviors identified in this report.
Topics: Attitude of Health Personnel; Curriculum; Delivery of Health Care; Education, Medical; Empathy; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Physician-Patient Relations; Physicians
PubMed: 31437225
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221412 -
The Journal of Hospital Infection Dec 2022Direct observation of hand hygiene compliance is the gold standard despite limitations and potential for bias. Previous literature highlights poorer hand hygiene... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Direct observation of hand hygiene compliance is the gold standard despite limitations and potential for bias. Previous literature highlights poorer hand hygiene compliance among physicians than nurses and suggests that covert monitoring may give better compliance estimates than overt monitoring.
AIM
To explore differences in compliance between physicians and nurses further, and to determine whether compliance estimates differed when observations were covert rather than overt.
METHODS
A systematic search of databases PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL and CINAHL was performed. Experimental or observational studies in hospital settings in high-income countries published in English from 2010 onwards were included if estimates for both physicians and nurses using direct observation were reported. The search yielded 4814 studies, of which 105 were included.
FINDINGS
The weighted pooled compliance rate for nurses was 52% (95% CI: 47-57) and for doctors was 45% (95% CI: 40-49%). Heterogeneity was considerable (I = 99%). The majority of studies were at moderate or high risk of bias. Random-effects meta-analysis of low risk of bias studies suggests higher compliance for nurses than physicians for both overt (difference of 7%; 95% CI for the difference: 0.8-13.5; P = 0.027) and covert (difference of 7%; 95% CI: 3-11; P = 0.0002) observation. Considerable heterogeneity was found in all analyses.
CONCLUSION
Wide variability in compliance estimates and differences in the methodological quality of hand hygiene studies were identified. Further research with meta-regression should explore sources of heterogeneity and improve the conduct and reporting of hand hygiene studies.
Topics: Humans; Hand Hygiene; Physicians; Hospitals; Guideline Adherence
PubMed: 36089071
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.08.013 -
JAMA Network Open Aug 2020Evidence suggests that physicians experience high levels of burnout and stress and that trainee physicians are a particularly high-risk group. Multiple workplace- and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
IMPORTANCE
Evidence suggests that physicians experience high levels of burnout and stress and that trainee physicians are a particularly high-risk group. Multiple workplace- and non-workplace-related factors have been identified in trainee physicians, but it is unclear which factors are most important in association with burnout and stress. Better understanding of the most critical factors could help inform the development of targeted interventions to reduce burnout and stress.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the association between different stressors and burnout/stress among physicians engaged in standard postgraduate training (ie, trainee physicians).
DATA SOURCES
Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Database of Systematic reviews from inception until April 30, 2019. Search terms included trainee, foundation year, registrar, resident, and intern.
STUDY SELECTION
Studies that reported associations between stressors and burnout/stress in trainee physicians.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Two independent reviewers extracted the data and assessed the quality of the evidence. The main meta-analysis was followed by sensitivity analyses. All analyses were performed using random-effects models, and heterogeneity was quantified using the I2 statistic.
MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES
The main outcome was the association between burnout/stress and workplace- or non-workplace-related factors reported as odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% CIs.
RESULTS
Forty-eight studies were included in the meta-analysis (n = 36 266, median age, 29 years [range, 24.6-35.7 years]). One study did not specify participants' sex; of the total population, 18 781 participants (52%) were men. In particular, work demands of a trainee physician were associated with a nearly 3-fold increased odds for burnout/stress (OR, 2.84; 95% CI, 2.26-3.59), followed by concerns about patient care (OR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.58-3.50), poor work environment (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.57-2.70), and poor work-life balance (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.53-2.44). Perceived/reported poor mental or physical health (OR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.76-3.31), female sex (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.20-1.50), financial worries (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.07-1.72), and low self-efficacy (OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.31-3.46) were associated with increased odds for burnout/stress, whereas younger age and a more junior grade were not significantly associated.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
The findings of this study suggest that the odds ratios for burnout and stress in trainee physicians are higher than those for work-related factors compared with nonmodifiable and non-work-related factors, such as age and grade. These findings support the need for organizational interventions to mitigate burnout in trainee physicians.
Topics: Adult; Burnout, Professional; Female; Humans; Internship and Residency; Male; Occupational Stress; Physicians; Risk Factors; Young Adult
PubMed: 32809031
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.13761 -
International Journal of Environmental... Oct 2021Physician's burnout has been recognized as an increasing and significant work-related syndrome, described by the combination of emotional exhaustion (EE) and... (Review)
Review
Physician's burnout has been recognized as an increasing and significant work-related syndrome, described by the combination of emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalization (D), together with low personal accomplishment (PA). It has many negative consequences on personal, organizational, and patient care levels. This systematic review aimed to analyze research articles where psychological interventions with elements of mindfulness (PIMs) were used to support physicians in order to reduce burnout and foster empathy and well-being. Systematic searches were conducted in May 2019, within six electronic databases PubMed, EBSCOhost MEDLINE, PsycArticles, Cochrane Library, JSTOR, and Slovenian national library information system. Different combinations of boolean operators were used-mindfulness, empathy, medicine/family medicine/general practice/primary care, burnout, doctors/physicians, intervention, and support group. Additional articles were manually searched from the reference list of the included articles. Studies with other healthcare professionals (not physicians and residents) and/or medical students, and those where PIMs were applied for educational or patient's treatment purposes were excluded. Of 1194 studies identified, 786 screened and 139 assessed for eligibility, there were 18 studies included in this review. Regardless of a specific type of PIMs applied, results, in general, demonstrate a positive impact on empathy, well-being, and reduction in burnout in participating physicians. Compared with other recent systematic reviews, this is unique due to a broader selection of psychological interventions and emphasis on a sustained effect measurement. Given the pandemic of COVID-19, it is of utmost importance that this review includes also interventions based on modern information technologies (mobile apps) and can be used as an awareness-raising material for physicians providing information about feasible and easily accessible interventions for effective burnout prevention and/or reduction. Future research should upgrade self-reported data with objective psychological measures and address the question of which intervention offers more benefits to physicians.
Topics: Burnout, Professional; Burnout, Psychological; COVID-19; Empathy; Humans; Mindfulness; Physicians; Psychosocial Intervention; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 34769700
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111181 -
Intensive Care Medicine Apr 2023The prevalence of burnout in intensive care unit (ICU) professionals is difficult to establish due to the variety of survey instruments used, the heterogeneity of the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
PURPOSE
The prevalence of burnout in intensive care unit (ICU) professionals is difficult to establish due to the variety of survey instruments used, the heterogeneity of the targeted population, the design of the studies, and the differences among countries regarding ICU organization.
METHODS
We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the prevalence of high-level burnout in physicians and nurses working in adult ICUs, including only studies that use the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) as a tool to evaluate burnout and involving at least 3 different ICUs.
RESULTS
Twenty-five studies with a combined population of 20,723 healthcare workers from adult ICUs satisfied the inclusion criteria. Combining 18 studies including 8187 ICU physicians, 3660 of them reported a high level of burnout (prevalence 0.41, range 0.15-0.71, 95% CI [0.33; 0.5], I 97.6%, 95% CI [96.9%; 98.1%]). The heterogeneity can be at least in part explained by the definition of burnout used and the response rate as confirmed by the multivariable metaregression done. In contrast, there was no significant difference regarding other factors such as the study period (before or during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic), the income of the countries, or the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) index. Combining 20 studies including 12,536 ICU nurses, 6232 of nurses were reporting burnout (prevalence 0.44, range 0.14-0.74, [95% CI 0.34; 0.55], I 98.6% 95% CI [98.4%; 98.9%]). The prevalence of high-level burnout in ICU nurses for studies performed during the COVID-19 pandemic was higher than that reported for studies performed before the COVID-19 pandemic (0.61 [95% CI, 0.46; 0.75] and 0.37 [95% CI, 0.26; 0.49] respectively, p = 0.003). As for physicians, the heterogeneity is at least in part explained by the definition used for burnout using the MBI but not by the number of participants. When compared, the prevalence of high-level burnout was not different between ICU physicians and ICU nurses. However, the proportion of ICU nurses with a high level of emotional exhaustion was higher than for ICU physicians (0.42 [95% CI, 0.37; 0.48] and 0.28 [0.2; 0.39], respectively, p = 0.022).
CONCLUSION
According to this meta-analysis, the prevalence of high-level burnout is higher than 40% in all ICU professionals. However, there is a great heterogeneity in the results. To evaluate and to compare preventive and therapeutic strategies, there is the need to use a consensual definition of burnout when using the MBI instrument.
Topics: Humans; Adult; Pandemics; COVID-19; Physicians; Burnout, Professional; Intensive Care Units; Surveys and Questionnaires; Nurses
PubMed: 36971792
DOI: 10.1007/s00134-023-07025-8 -
JAMA Oct 2005In 2002, an estimated 877,000 lives were lost worldwide through suicide. Some developed nations have implemented national suicide prevention plans. Although these plans... (Review)
Review
CONTEXT
In 2002, an estimated 877,000 lives were lost worldwide through suicide. Some developed nations have implemented national suicide prevention plans. Although these plans generally propose multiple interventions, their effectiveness is rarely evaluated.
OBJECTIVES
To examine evidence for the effectiveness of specific suicide-preventive interventions and to make recommendations for future prevention programs and research.
DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTION
Relevant publications were identified via electronic searches of MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and PsychINFO databases using multiple search terms related to suicide prevention. Studies, published between 1966 and June 2005, included those that evaluated preventative interventions in major domains; education and awareness for the general public and for professionals; screening tools for at-risk individuals; treatment of psychiatric disorders; restricting access to lethal means; and responsible media reporting of suicide.
DATA EXTRACTION
Data were extracted on primary outcomes of interest: suicidal behavior (completion, attempt, ideation), intermediary or secondary outcomes (treatment seeking, identification of at-risk individuals, antidepressant prescription/use rates, referrals), or both. Experts from 15 countries reviewed all studies. Included articles were those that reported on completed and attempted suicide and suicidal ideation; or, where applicable, intermediate outcomes, including help-seeking behavior, identification of at-risk individuals, entry into treatment, and antidepressant prescription rates. We included 3 major types of studies for which the research question was clearly defined: systematic reviews and meta-analyses (n = 10); quantitative studies, either randomized controlled trials (n = 18) or cohort studies (n = 24); and ecological, or population- based studies (n = 41). Heterogeneity of study populations and methodology did not permit formal meta-analysis; thus, a narrative synthesis is presented.
DATA SYNTHESIS
Education of physicians and restricting access to lethal means were found to prevent suicide. Other methods including public education, screening programs, and media education need more testing.
CONCLUSIONS
Physician education in depression recognition and treatment and restricting access to lethal methods reduce suicide rates. Other interventions need more evidence of efficacy. Ascertaining which components of suicide prevention programs are effective in reducing rates of suicide and suicide attempt is essential in order to optimize use of limited resources.
Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Continuity of Patient Care; Health Education; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Mass Media; Mass Screening; Mental Disorders; Physician's Role; Physicians, Family; Psychotherapy; Referral and Consultation; Risk Reduction Behavior; Suicide; Suicide Prevention
PubMed: 16249421
DOI: 10.1001/jama.294.16.2064