Emotional exhaustion in front-line healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China: the effects of time pressure, social sharing and cognitive appraisal

Abstract Background With the increasing spread of COVID-19, healthcare workers, especially front-line medical staff, have become more vulnerable to emotional exhaustion. Objectives This study aimed to determine the influence of time pressure on the emotional exhaustion of front-line healthcare worke...

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Main Authors: Huan Wang, Xinyao Zhou, Xiuli Jia, Caiping Song, Xu Luo, Hua Zhang, Hao Wu, Junying Ye
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-04-01
Series:BMC Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10891-w
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spelling doaj-36db4f13421742418a68b9a25f33839b2021-05-02T11:04:10ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582021-04-0121111010.1186/s12889-021-10891-wEmotional exhaustion in front-line healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China: the effects of time pressure, social sharing and cognitive appraisalHuan Wang0Xinyao Zhou1Xiuli Jia2Caiping Song3Xu Luo4Hua Zhang5Hao Wu6Junying Ye7Development and Planning Department, Chongqing Medical UniversitySchool of Economics and Management, Wuhan UniversityNeurology Department, The 987 Hospital of PLAXinqiao Hospital, Army Medical UniversityDepartment of Medical Administration, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical UniversityChongqing Health Center for Women and ChildrenXinqiao Hospital, Army Medical UniversityChongqing Health Center for Women and ChildrenAbstract Background With the increasing spread of COVID-19, healthcare workers, especially front-line medical staff, have become more vulnerable to emotional exhaustion. Objectives This study aimed to determine the influence of time pressure on the emotional exhaustion of front-line healthcare workers, and explore the effects of social sharing and cognitive reappraisal on this. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2020. A total of 232 questionnaires were completed by front-line healthcare workers in Wuhan city, Hubei province, China. Hierarchical linear regression and conditional process analysis were performed to explore the relationships among time pressure, social sharing, cognitive reappraisal, and emotional exhaustion. Results Time pressure was positively associated with social sharing and emotional exhaustion. Social sharing presented the dark side, a negative effect that was always kept concealed, in terms of the impact on emotional exhaustion. Cognitive reappraisal negatively moderated the relationship between time pressure and social sharing, and it further indirectly influenced the relationship between time pressure and emotional exhaustion through social sharing. Conclusions Our findings shed light on how time pressure influences the emotional exhaustion of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 period. Although social sharing is commonly regarded as a positive behavior, we identified a dark side in terms of its impact. We also identified that improving cognitive reappraisal may present a positive strategy toward alleviating emotional exhaustion.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10891-wCOVID-19Healthcare workersOccupational stressMental fatigueSocial supportCognition
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Huan Wang
Xinyao Zhou
Xiuli Jia
Caiping Song
Xu Luo
Hua Zhang
Hao Wu
Junying Ye
spellingShingle Huan Wang
Xinyao Zhou
Xiuli Jia
Caiping Song
Xu Luo
Hua Zhang
Hao Wu
Junying Ye
Emotional exhaustion in front-line healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China: the effects of time pressure, social sharing and cognitive appraisal
BMC Public Health
COVID-19
Healthcare workers
Occupational stress
Mental fatigue
Social support
Cognition
author_facet Huan Wang
Xinyao Zhou
Xiuli Jia
Caiping Song
Xu Luo
Hua Zhang
Hao Wu
Junying Ye
author_sort Huan Wang
title Emotional exhaustion in front-line healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China: the effects of time pressure, social sharing and cognitive appraisal
title_short Emotional exhaustion in front-line healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China: the effects of time pressure, social sharing and cognitive appraisal
title_full Emotional exhaustion in front-line healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China: the effects of time pressure, social sharing and cognitive appraisal
title_fullStr Emotional exhaustion in front-line healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China: the effects of time pressure, social sharing and cognitive appraisal
title_full_unstemmed Emotional exhaustion in front-line healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China: the effects of time pressure, social sharing and cognitive appraisal
title_sort emotional exhaustion in front-line healthcare workers during the covid-19 pandemic in wuhan, china: the effects of time pressure, social sharing and cognitive appraisal
publisher BMC
series BMC Public Health
issn 1471-2458
publishDate 2021-04-01
description Abstract Background With the increasing spread of COVID-19, healthcare workers, especially front-line medical staff, have become more vulnerable to emotional exhaustion. Objectives This study aimed to determine the influence of time pressure on the emotional exhaustion of front-line healthcare workers, and explore the effects of social sharing and cognitive reappraisal on this. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2020. A total of 232 questionnaires were completed by front-line healthcare workers in Wuhan city, Hubei province, China. Hierarchical linear regression and conditional process analysis were performed to explore the relationships among time pressure, social sharing, cognitive reappraisal, and emotional exhaustion. Results Time pressure was positively associated with social sharing and emotional exhaustion. Social sharing presented the dark side, a negative effect that was always kept concealed, in terms of the impact on emotional exhaustion. Cognitive reappraisal negatively moderated the relationship between time pressure and social sharing, and it further indirectly influenced the relationship between time pressure and emotional exhaustion through social sharing. Conclusions Our findings shed light on how time pressure influences the emotional exhaustion of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 period. Although social sharing is commonly regarded as a positive behavior, we identified a dark side in terms of its impact. We also identified that improving cognitive reappraisal may present a positive strategy toward alleviating emotional exhaustion.
topic COVID-19
Healthcare workers
Occupational stress
Mental fatigue
Social support
Cognition
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10891-w
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