CDC Report Highlights Growing Mental Health Crisis among Health Workers

CDC survey shows nearly 50% burnout rate among US health workers in 2022, up from under a third in 2018; harassment incidents doubled, leading to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout.

Nearly 50% of health workers reported feeling burned out in 2022, a significant increase from less than a third in 2018, according to a CDC report. The study used nationwide survey data collected over four years.
Harassment incidents among health workers have more than doubled, with the surge leading to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout. The increase is notably seen in instances of violent threats, bullying and verbal abuse from patients and coworkers, having risen from 6% to 13% during the study period.
Health workers facing harassment were, respectively, five times, over three times, and nearly six times more likely to report anxiety, depression, and burnout than those who were not. 85% of health workers who experienced harassment reported feeling anxiety, and 60% reported experiencing depression.
Despite the challenging conditions, workplace policies and practices can alleviate some of the pressures. The CDC found that health workers who trusted their management, had adequate time to complete their work and received supervisor support were less likely to report burnout.
In light of these findings, the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is set to launch a nationwide campaign to help hospital leaders address challenges to health workers’ mental health as a part of an ongoing initiative.