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Prevalence of Burnout Among Surgical Staff in Ukraine During Wartime: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Marta Antoniv
*1, Inesa Huivaniuk
3, Maksym Horiachok
4, Taras Ivanykovych
5, Anastasiia Liakh
5, Mariana Kuryk
5, Valeriia Chorna
6, Kateryna Potapova
2, Viacheslav Kopetskyi
3, Jennifer Davids
7, Nelya Melnitchouk
11Brigham and Women's Hospital, Chestnut Hill, MA; 2Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine; 3Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Kyiv City Clinical Oncology Center, Kyiv, Ukraine; 4Bukovinian State Medical University, Chernivtsi, Ukraine; 5Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine; 6Global Medical Knowledge Alliance, Boston, MA; 7Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA
Background: The ongoing war in Ukraine has intensified working conditions for surgical teams, exposing personnel to extreme workloads, resource shortages, and psychological stress. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of burnout among surgical staff in Ukraine during wartime.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, web-based survey to evaluate burnout among surgical personnel in Ukraine. The survey was administered anonymously via SurveyMonkey and distributed through social media channels (January 20-February 20, 2025). Burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and defined by high score on emotional exhaustion and/or depersonalization subscales. Results are reported as proportions.
Results: A total of 217 surgical staff responded, including 146 attending physicians (67.3%), 46 residents (21.2%), 13 military physicians (6.0%), and 13 nurses (6.0%). Because of an indeterminable denominator, the response rate was not calculated. Nearly all participants met the criteria for burnout, with depersonalization elevated in 97.9% of attending physicians and reaching 100% among resident physicians, military surgeons, and nurses. High emotional exhaustion was most prevalent among military surgeons (83.3%), compared to 43.8% of attending surgeons, 42.2% of residents, and 30.8% of nurses (p=0.023). Higher rates were also observed in staff working over 12 hours/day (51.4%) and rural hospitals (52.5%). Low personal accomplishment was most common among staff in small hospitals (41.7%) and military surgeons (38.5%). No significant differences in burnout were found regarding gender, age, type of hospital, or region.
Conclusions: Burnout among surgical staff in Ukraine is critically high during wartime, with extreme levels of depersonalization and emotional exhaustion. Military physicians and staff in rural or small hospitals appear to be at greatest risk. Interventions should prioritize these high-risk groups to mitigate the growing burden of burnout in Ukrainian surgical teams.
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