Factors associated with burnout among medical laboratory professionals in Ontario, Canada: An exploratory study during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine factors associated with burnout among medical laboratory technologists (MLT) in Ontario, Canada during the second wave of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Methods: We employed a cross-sectional design and used a self-reported questionnaire designed for MLT in Ontario, Canada.

Results: There were 441 (47.5% response rate) MLT who were included in the analytic sample. Most of the respondents were women, with a mean age of 43.1 and a standard deviation of 11.7. The prevalence of experiencing burnout was 72.3% for MLT. In the adjusted demographic model, those ≥50 (OR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.22-0.59) were 0.36 or about one third as likely to experience burnout as those under 50. Similarly, those who held a university degree were less likely to experience burnout compared with high school degree (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.15-0.79). In the adjusted occupational model, high quantitative demands (OR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.21-3.88), high work pace (OR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.25-3.98), high job insecurity (OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.39-4.82), high work life conflict (OR = 5.08, 95% CI: 2.75-9.64) and high job satisfaction (OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.20-0.88), high self-rated health (OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.17-0.56) were significant.

Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidence regarding the factors associated with burnout in MLT. Additional research is needed to understand their relationship with workers health and well-being and in the delivery of health services.