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Mental Health of Healthcare Professionals
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Mental Health of Healthcare Professionals

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Medics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 3207

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ioanna V. Papathanasiou

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Guest Editor
Community Nursing Laboratory, Department of Nursing, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
Interests: mental health nursing; community psychiatry nursing; nursing education; nursing research and evidence-based practice; community nursing; health promotion; human resource management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Maria Malliarou

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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Education and Research of Trauma Care and Patient Safety, Faculty of Nursing, University of Thessaly, 41110 Larisa, Greece
Interests: nursing; patient safety; occupational health; burnout; working environment; psychosocial risks
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Pavlos Sarafis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Nursing, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
Interests: nursing education; nursing research and evidence-based practice; health policy; healthcare quality; public health; healthcare management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, especially for healthcare professionals who often work under high-pressure conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected mental health among healthcare providers, and this concern remains ongoing, although we are currently transitioning to the post-COVID period. Mental health challenges such as burnout, depression, anxiety and PTSD are prevalent among healthcare workers and can significantly impact their ability to provide quality care. We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue on the mental health of healthcare professionals.

This Special Issue aims to explore recent research and developments in understanding and addressing the mental health needs of healthcare professionals. The scope of this Special Issue aligns with the journal’s focus on mental health and community health. We hope to collect contributions that provide effective interventions, coping strategies and systematic support mechanisms that not only enhance the mental health of healthcare workers, but also effectively reduce the mental health problems they face, reduce the adverse effects of burnout, stress and anxiety, and prevent the occurrence of mental health problems, as well as promote long-term mental resilience and well-being, helping them better cope with challenges and stress at work.

The topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers;
  • Impact of mental health issues on healthcare delivery and quality of care;
  • Stress management;
  • Strategies and interventions to mitigate risks and mental health problems.
  • We welcome original research articles and reviews for this Special Issue. Submissions may include, but are not limited to, the following types of articles:
  • Original research studies;
  • Systematic, scoping, narrative and rapid reviews;
  • Perspective papers.

We look forward to receiving your contributions and expanding the body of knowledge on this important topic.

Prof. Dr. Ioanna V. Papathanasiou
Prof. Dr. Maria Malliarou
Dr. Pavlos Sarafis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mental health
  • healthcare professionals
  • psychological distress
  • resilience
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • compassion fatigue
  • quiet quitting
  • burnout
  • boreout
  • professional quality of life

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 2411 KiB  
Article
Understanding Burnout in Forensic Medicine and the Interaction of Job Satisfaction and Unconditional Self-Acceptance: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Lilioara-Alexandra Oprinca-Muja, Adrian-Nicolae Cristian, Elena Topîrcean, Alina Cristian, Marius Florentin Popa, Horațiu Paul Domnariu, Diter Atasie, George-Călin Oprinca and Silviu Morar
Healthcare 2025, 13(10), 1169; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13101169 - 16 May 2025
Viewed by 166
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Burnout syndrome is increasingly recognized as a significant occupational hazard among forensic medicine professionals, a population exposed to intense psychological stress and complex work demands. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of burnout, job satisfaction, and unconditional self-acceptance among [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Burnout syndrome is increasingly recognized as a significant occupational hazard among forensic medicine professionals, a population exposed to intense psychological stress and complex work demands. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of burnout, job satisfaction, and unconditional self-acceptance among forensic personnel in Romania and to explore potential predictors and mediators of burnout within this context. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 153 forensic medicine professionals from 31 counties across Romania. Participants completed a battery of standardized instruments, including the Maslach Burnout Inventory—General Survey (MBI-GS), the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), and the Unconditional Self-Acceptance Questionnaire (USAQ). Cut-off scores for burnout subscales were established using the 75th percentile. Data were analyzed to identify demographic, occupational, and psychological correlates of burnout. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize sample characteristics and burnout prevalence. Group comparisons were made across demographic and professional categories. A mediation model was tested to evaluate whether unconditional self-acceptance mediated the relationship between job satisfaction and burnout. We hypothesized that job satisfaction would be negatively associated with burnout symptoms and that unconditional self-acceptance would mediate this relationship, acting as a protective psychological factor. Results: Approximately a quarter of respondents met the criteria for high total burnout, emotional exhaustion, and professional inefficacy, while cynicism was present in a fifth of participants. Burnout was more prevalent among younger workers, forensic medicine residents, and those working in the capital. Job satisfaction was generally high, but lower in women, younger individuals, and residents. Nearly half of the participants reported low or very low self-acceptance. Mediation analysis revealed that unconditional self-acceptance partially mediated the relationship between job satisfaction and burnout, suggesting a protective psychological mechanism. Conclusions: This study highlights the considerable burden of burnout among forensic medicine professionals in Romania and identifies job dissatisfaction and low self-acceptance as key contributors. Findings underscore the need for targeted interventions aimed at enhancing job satisfaction and emotional resilience, particularly in vulnerable subgroups. Institutional efforts that support mental well-being, foster emotional coping, and improve organizational dynamics are essential to reduce burnout in this high-risk population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Health of Healthcare Professionals)
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16 pages, 962 KiB  
Article
Resilience and Social Support Protect Nurses from Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study in the Post-COVID-19 Era
by Aglaia Katsiroumpa, Ioannis Moisoglou, Ioanna V. Papathanasiou, Maria Malliarou, Pavlos Sarafis, Parisis Gallos, Olympia Konstantakopoulou, Fotios Rizos and Petros Galanis
Healthcare 2025, 13(6), 582; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13060582 - 7 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1194
Abstract
Background: Nurses experience high levels of anxiety and depression since they work in a highly stressful environment. Thus, the identification of preventive factors against nurses’ anxiety and depression is essential to improve their quality of life. In this context, our aim was [...] Read more.
Background: Nurses experience high levels of anxiety and depression since they work in a highly stressful environment. Thus, the identification of preventive factors against nurses’ anxiety and depression is essential to improve their quality of life. In this context, our aim was to examine the impact of resilience and social support on nurses’ anxiety and depressive symptoms. Methods: A cross-sectional online study was implemented in Greece in September 2024. We used the Brief Resilience Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Patient Health Questionnaire-4 to measure resilience, social support, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, respectively. Results: Our sample included 677 nurses with a mean age of 37.73 years (standard deviation: 9.38). Our multivariable linear regression models identified a negative relationship between resilience and anxiety (adjusted standardized beta coefficient =−0.38; p < 0.001) and depressive symptoms (adjusted standardized beta coefficient = −0.36; p < 0.001). Similarly, we found that significant others’ support was associated with reduced anxiety (adjusted standardized beta coefficient = −0.27; p < 0.001) and depressive symptoms (adjusted standardized beta coefficient = −0.23; p < 0.001). The standardized beta coefficient indicated that resilience has a greater impact on anxiety and depressive symptoms than significant others’ support. Conclusions: Our findings suggest resilience and social support have a protective function against nurses’ anxiety and depressive symptoms. Managers and policymakers should adopt appropriate interventions to improve nurses’ resilience and social support and, thus, to improve their mental health and quality of life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Health of Healthcare Professionals)
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11 pages, 234 KiB  
Article
Psychological Impact on Firefighters After the 2022 Amok Attack in Berlin at Tauentzienstraße
by Francesco Pahnke, Nils Hüttermann, Jan Philipp Krüger and Ulrich Wesemann
Healthcare 2025, 13(3), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13030263 - 29 Jan 2025
Viewed by 731
Abstract
Objective: Exposure of emergency service personnel to disasters can lead to significant mental health challenges. The psychological impact of intentionally caused disasters, such as terrorist attacks, tends to be more severe than that of natural disasters. While much research has focused on terrorist [...] Read more.
Objective: Exposure of emergency service personnel to disasters can lead to significant mental health challenges. The psychological impact of intentionally caused disasters, such as terrorist attacks, tends to be more severe than that of natural disasters. While much research has focused on terrorist attacks, little is known about the effects of intentional vehicular assaults (IVAs). This study examines the impact of an IVA on the mental health of firefighters. We hypothesized that firefighters deployed to the scene (deployed group (DG)) would experience more mental health problems compared to those not on duty (comparison group (CG)). Methods: The study included n = 115 firefighters, with 60 in the DG and 55 in the CG from the same units. Validated psychometric tools were used to assess anxiety, panic attacks (PHQ-D), and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PCL-5). Participation was voluntary, and informed consent was obtained. The study received approval from the Charité Berlin Ethics Committee (number: EA4/085/18). Results: A significantly higher prevalence of panic attacks was found in the DG (12.5%) compared to the CG (1.8%), with an odds ratio of 8.0 (95% CI: 1.0–67.3). Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between non-occupational tasks and hostility (r = 0.312, p = 0.015, n = 60), while parenthood had no significant effect on panic attacks or generalized anxiety. Conclusion: These results highlight the severe mental health impact of intentional disasters like IVAs on firefighters, emphasizing the need for targeted psychological support and interventions. Future research should focus on tailored interventions to address the high prevalence of panic attacks among this population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Health of Healthcare Professionals)
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