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Evaluation of Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Burnout Levels Among Emergency and Intensive Care Unit Professionals
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 August 2025
Abstract
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Introduction
Emergency departments (ED) and intensive care units (ICU) are high-stress environments where healthcare professionals are continuously exposed to critical situations. This results in substantial mental health burdens, leading to increased levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout. These issues negatively affect both the well-being of professionals and patient care.
Objectives
This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout among ED and ICU professionals. The goal is to understand mental health issues and identify contributing factors to improve prevention and support systems.
Methods
A total of 242 healthcare professionals from Bezmialem Vakif University Hospital were included: 120 ICU staff (80 females, 40 males), 66 ED personnel (42 females, 24 males), and 56 office personnel (38 females, 18 males) serving as a control group. The study employed validated instruments: the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, and Maslach Burnout Inventory. Non-parametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis H and Chi-Square) were used due to non-normal data distribution, with pairwise comparisons adjusted using Bonferroni correction. The significance level was set at p < 0.05.
Results
The results showed significant differences in age, depression scores, stress levels, and burnout indicators between the ICU, ED, and control groups. ICU and ED staff reported significantly higher depression scores compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Stress levels were also significantly elevated in ICU workers compared to office personnel (p = 0.001). Burnout indicators were notably higher in ICU professionals (p = 0.011). Conversely, no significant differences were observed in anxiety scores, emotional exhaustion, and hours of sleep.Table 1:
Summary of Key Results
| Variable | ICU Personnel (n = 120) | ED Personnel (n = 66) | Office Personnel (Control, n = 56) | p-value | Significant Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beck Depression Score (Median) | 10 | 10 | 6 | <0.001 | Yes |
| Beck Anxiety Score (Median) | 8 | 7 | 6 | 0.064 | No |
| Perceived Stress Score (Median) | 25.5 | 23 | 23 | 0.001 | Yes (ICU vs. Office) |
| Maslach Depersonalisation Score (Median) | 23.5 | 21 | 21 | 0.011 | Yes (ICU vs. Office) |
| Maslach Personal Accomplishment Score (Median) | 23.5 | 22 | 21 | 0.034 | Yes (ICU vs. ED) |
| Maslach Emotional Exhaustion Score (Median) | 22 | 21 | 21 | 0.064 | No |
| Working Hours (Median) | 60 | 55 | 40 | <0.001 | Yes |
| Living with Family/Partner/Alone (%) | 65% / 25% / 10% | 60% / 30% / 10% | 70% / 20% / 10% | 0.232 | No |
| Satisfaction with Job (%) | 65% | 70% | 80% | 0.147 | No |
Conclusions
The findings underscore the necessity for targeted interventions to reduce psychological distress among ED and ICU professionals. Implementing support systems, promoting work-life balance, and improving mental health resources can significantly alleviate the mental burden on these professionals, thereby enhancing both their well-being and patient care quality.
Disclosure of Interest
None Declared
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- European Psychiatry , Volume 68 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 33rd European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2025 , pp. S208
- Creative Commons
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.- Copyright
- © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of European Psychiatric Association
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