Survey of burnout among doctors specializing in anesthesiology in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic

ISRCTN	ISRCTN61736991
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN61736991
ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT)	Nil known
Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS)	Nil known
Protocol serial number	U1111-1268-1656
Sponsor	Faculdade de Medicina do ABC
Funder	Faculdade de Medicina do ABC

Submission date: 20/09/2021
Registration date: 21/09/2021
Last edited: 05/04/2023

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Other

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Anesthesiology residents are historically at high risk of burnout, and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic could worsen this scenario. The prevalence of burnout risk and its associated factors in anesthesiology residents in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic is unknown. The primary goal of this study is to determine the prevalence of burnout risk in anesthesiology residents in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary objective is to recognize individual and work-related factors related to the pandemic, which could predict the risk of burnout in this population.

Who can participate?
Anesthesiology residents in Brazil who are currently in their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year of training.

What does the study involve?
It involves answering a survey on the internet. The survey includes five forms: (1) the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory; (2) demographic data; and the pandemic’s impact on (3) behavior and habits, (4) psychosocial information, and (5) work environment.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There will be no direct benefits related to your participation. Indirect benefits include: contributing to a better understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of anesthesiology residents, which may help to formulate burnout syndrome prevention strategies to reduce its prevalence.
Participating in this project represents minimal risk. The questions can generate discomfort by including the screening scale for a mental disorder, a questionnaire to detail the social profile, and questions related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Where is the study run from?
Hospital Mario Covas (Brazil)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
June 2020 to March 2021.

Who is funding the study?
This is a self-funded study by anesthesiologists and anesthesiology residents from the Faculdade de Medicina do ABC (Brazil)

Who is the main contact?
Natanael Pietroski dos Santos, MD, pietroski@gmail.com

Contact information

Dr Natanael Pietroski dos Santos
Scientific

Av. Cons. Rodrigues Alves, 780
AP 173
Sao Paulo
04014000
Brazil

ORCID ID	0000-0002-4640-7178
Phone	+55 11963167080
Email	pietroski@gmail.com

Study information

Primary study design	Observational
Study design	Nationwide observational cross-sectional study
Secondary study design	Cross sectional study
Participant information sheet	40448 PIS.pdf
Scientific title	Burnout among anesthesiology residents in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic - a cross-sectional survey
Study objectives	What is the burnout risk among anesthesiology residents in Brazil increased during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Ethics approval(s)	Approved 28/11/2020, Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa Faculdade de Medicina do ABC (Avenida Lauro Gomes, 2000 - 2º andar - prédio: CEPES – Santo André – SP - Brazil; +55 (11) 4993-5453; cep@fmabc.br), ref: CAAE: 39505120.7.0000.0082
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Burnout risk in anesthesiology residents
Intervention	Participants will answer an online survey that takes less than 5 minutes to complete. Participants will be stratified for burnout risk based on the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI). An overall score above 4.73 will classify residents as being “at risk” of burnout, while scores beyond 2.33 for exhaustion and 2.40 for disengagement will classify residents as “high risk” for burnout. Participants’ individual and work-related factors will be analyzed by two logistic regressions, with the outcomes “at risk” and “high risk” for burnout. Significant results from those regressions will be included in a multiple linear regression model with the OLBI score as the outcome variable. Beta coefficients will be used to standardize the correlations and semi partial correlation will determine the percentage of correlation between each factor and the OLBI score. Beta coefficients above or equal to 0.2 will determine the strength of correlation as moderate to strong, while those below 0.2 as weaker correlations. If a question with adaptive options is significant, a sub-analysis will be conducted by multiple regression or correlation, as appropriate.
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure(s)	Burnout risk measured using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory at a single time point.
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	Measured using self report at a single time point: 1. Age (years) 2. Gender 3. Having children 4. Post-graduate year 5. Country's region 6. Regular physical activity 7. Cigarette smoking 8. Alcohol consumption 9. Drug consumption 10. Presence of emotional support 11. Spirituality considered an important aspect of life 12. Current psychological or psychiatric treatment 13. Access to COVID-19 tests in the residency program 14. Self-perception regarding the risk of COVID-19 contamination in the residency 15. Felt safe with the individual protection equipment provided 16. Referred institutional COVID-19 protection protocol 17. Resident diagnosed with COVID-19 18. Workload change during the pandemic 19. Weekly working time before the pandemic 20. Received practical training to assist COVID-19 patients 21. Felt capable of assisting patients with COVID-19 (or suspected infection) 22. Felt coerced or pushed to assist patients with COVID-19 23. Relocated to COVID-19 ICU/ward 24. Moved to a new house due to the pandemic 25. Considered abandoning the anesthesiology training due to the pandemic
Completion date	02/03/2021

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Health professional
Age group	Adult
Sex	All
Target sample size at registration	84
Total final enrolment	205
Key inclusion criteria	1. Anesthesiology residents in their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year of training.
Key exclusion criteria	1. Refusal to sign the e-consent form
Date of first enrolment	12/01/2021
Date of final enrolment	02/03/2021

Locations

Countries of recruitment

Brazil

Study participating centre

Faculdade de Medicina do ABC

Av. Lauro Gomes, 2000 - Vila Sacadura Cabral
Santo André
09060-870
Brazil

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	Yes
IPD sharing plan summary	Available on request
IPD sharing plan	The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. The dataset analyzed during the current study will be available to researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal. The dataset will be available immediately following publication, with no end date. All information will be deidentified and should be used exclusively to achieve aims in the approved proposal. To gain access, data requestors will need to sign a data access agreement. Proposals should be directed to Natanael Pietroski dos Santos, pietroski@gmail.com.

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	results	12/08/2022	05/04/2023	Yes	No
Participant information sheet			21/09/2021	No	Yes
Participant information sheet	Participant information sheet	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes
Protocol file	in Portuguese		21/09/2021	No	No

Additional files

40448 PIS.pdf: Participant information sheet
40448 Protocol.pdf: in Portuguese

Editorial Notes

05/04/2023: Publication reference added.
21/09/2021: Trial's existence confirmed by Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa Faculdade de Medicina do ABC.