Burnout and occupational stress of home care rehabilitation professionals transitioning out of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada

Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia; Emily King; Brydne Edwards; Sonia Nizzer; Amin Yazdani; Basem Gohar; Ali Bani-Fatemi; Aaron Howe; Yusra Fayyaz; Bushra Alam; Raabia Khan; Vijay Kumar Chattu

doi:10.1177/03080226241269251

Burnout and occupational stress of home care rehabilitation professionals transitioning out of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada

Br J Occup Ther. 2024 Dec;87(12):772-782. doi: 10.1177/03080226241269251. Epub 2024 Aug 11.

Authors

Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia^{1

2

3}, Emily King^{4

5

6}, Brydne Edwards^{4

7}, Sonia Nizzer⁴, Amin Yazdani⁸, Basem Gohar^{2

9}, Ali Bani-Fatemi¹, Aaron Howe¹, Yusra Fayyaz¹, Bushra Alam¹, Raabia Khan¹, Vijay Kumar Chattu^{1

10

11}

Affiliations

¹ Restore Lab, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
² Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada.
³ Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁴ VHA Home HealthCare, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁵ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁶ KITE - Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁷ Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁸ Canadian Institute for Safety, Wellness & Performance, Conestoga College Conestoga College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, Kitchener, ON, Canada.
⁹ Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
¹⁰ Center for Transdisciplinary Research, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India.
¹¹ Center for Evidence-based Strategies, Global Health Research and Innovations Canada Inc (GHRIC), ON, Toronto.

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the home healthcare industry, with increased rates of burnout and stress among homecare rehabilitation professionals (hcRPs). This study aimed to (1) examine the nature of burnout and occupational stress among homecare rehabilitation professionals at a large home care organization in Ontario, Canada, transitioning out of the pandemic, and (2) assess its impact on work participation and engagement.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey using the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Generic Job Stress Questionnaire and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory to examine burnout and job stress.

Results: One hundred thirty-nine participants identified that work stress and burnout are more likely to occur when one struggles to cope, experiences unexpected circumstances, and feels a lack of control, which can lead to anger and emotional exhaustion. The adjusted odds ratio for emotional exhaustion was 5.46, indicating that the probability of experiencing work stress among homecare rehabilitation professionals increases as emotional exhaustion increases. Significant associations were found between coping with daily tasks and levels of burnout.

Conclusion: Work stress and burnout influence coping, unexpected circumstances in homecare rehabilitation professionals work-life. Furthermore, highlighting the need to provide organizational support and policies that specifically address these issues in the home care sector.

Keywords: Canada; Home care; community care; occupational therapists; physical therapists; rehabilitation professionals.