Association between Social Support and Burnout Syndrome during the COVID-19 crisis among Public Health Workers in Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Administrative Organization

Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to study: (1) personal factors and social support; (2) burnout syndrome levels; and (3) association between personal factors as well as social support and burnout syndrome among public health workers in the Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO).

The sample were 148 public health workers selected randomly based on sub-population from all 216 personnel at the PAO. The sample size was calculated using average estimation for a known number of sub-population. Data were collected using a four-part questionnaire covering personal data, scale of social support, scale of burnout syndrome and suggestions with the reliability value of 0.83, between June and July 2021, and then analyzed to determine frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and multiple linear regression.

The results showed that, among study participants, (1) most of them were men aged 35.05 years on average and they had an educational background below a Bachelor's degree, 3 or more family members, enough income but no savings, 5.06 years of work experience, and a high level of social support at 56.8%; (2) burnout levels – low for emotional exhaustion, moderate for cynicism, and high for professional efficacy; and (3) gender and social support were significantly associated with burnout syndrome among Ubon Ratchathani PAO public health workers at a significant level of 0.05.