Background Healthcare professionals (HCPs) on the front lines against COVID-19 may face increased workload and stress. Understanding HCPs' risk for burnout is critical to supporting HCPs and maintaining the quality of healthcare during the pandemic. Methods To assess exposure, perceptions, workload, and possible burnout of HCPs during the COVID-19 pandemic we conducted a cross-sectional survey. The main outcomes and measures were HCPs' self-assessment of burnout, indicated by a single item measure of emotional exhaustion, and other experiences and attitudes associated with working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings A total of 2,707 HCPs from 60 countries participated in this study. Fifty-one percent of HCPs reported burnout. Burnout was associated with work impacting household activities (RR = 1�57, 95% CI = 1�39-1�78, P<0�001), feeling pushed beyond training (RR = 1�32, 95% CI = 1�20-1�47, P<0�001), exposure to COVID-19 patients (RR = 1�18, 95% CI = 1�05-1�32, P = 0�005), and making life prioritizing decisions (RR = 1�16, 95% CI = 1�02-1�31, P = 0�03). Adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) was protective against burnout (RR = 0�88, 95% CI = 0�79-0�97, P = 0�01). Burnout was higher in high-income countries (HICs) compared to low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) (RR = 1�18; 95% CI = 1�02-1�36, P = 0�018).

Background Healthcare professionals (HCPs) on the front lines against COVID-19 may face increased workload and stress. Understanding HCPs' risk for burnout is critical to supporting HCPs and maintaining the quality of healthcare during the pandemic. Methods To assess exposure, perceptions, workload, and possible burnout of HCPs during the COVID-19 pandemic we conducted a cross-sectional survey. The main outcomes and measures were HCPs' self-assessment of burnout, indicated by a single item measure of emotional exhaustion, and other experiences and attitudes associated with working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings A total of 2,707 HCPs from 60 countries participated in this study. Fifty-one percent of HCPs reported burnout. Burnout was associated with work impacting household activities (RR = 1�57, 95% CI = 1�39-1�78, P<0�001), feeling pushed beyond training (RR = 1�32, 95% CI = 1�20-1�47, P<0�001), exposure to COVID-19 patients (RR = 1�18, 95% CI = 1�05-1�32, P = 0�005), and making life prioritizing decisions (RR = 1�16, 95% CI = 1�02-1�31, P = 0�03). Adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) was protective against burnout (RR = 0�88, 95% CI = 0�79-0�97, P = 0�01). Burnout was higher in high-income countries (HICs) compared to low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) (RR = 1�18; 95% CI = 1�02-1�36, P = 0�018).

ObjectiveThe aim of this case series was to assess the impact of auditory rehabilitation with cochlear implantation on the cognitive function of elderly patients over time.DesignThis is a longitudinal case series of prospective data assessing neurocognitive function and speech perception in an elderly cohort pre- and post-implantation.SettingUniversity cochlear implant center.ParticipantsThe patients were post-lingually deafened elderly female (mean, 73.6 years; SD, 5.82; range, 67–81 years) cochlear implant recipients (n=7).MeasurementsA neurocognitive battery of 20 tests assessing intellectual function, learning, short- and long-term memory, verbal fluency, attention, mental flexibility, and processing speed was performed prior to and 2–4.1 years (mean, 3.7) after cochlear implant (CI). Speech perception testing using Consonant–Nucleus–Consonant words was performed prior to implantation and at regular intervals postoperatively. Individual and aggregate differences in cognitive function pre- and post-CI were estimated. Logistic regression with cluster adjustment was used to estimate the association (%improvement or %decline) between speech understanding and years from implantation at 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years post-CI.ResultsImprovements after CI were observed in 14 (70%) of all subtests administered. Declines occurred in five (25%) subtests. In 55 individual tests (43%), post-CI performance improved compared to a patient’s own performance before implantation. Of these, nine (45%) showed moderate or pronounced improvement. Overall, improvements were largest in the verbal and memory domains. Logistic regression demonstrated a significant relationship between speech perception and cognitive function over time. Five neurocognitive tests were predictive of improved speech perception following implantation.ConclusionComprehensive neurocognitive testing of elderly women demonstrated areas of improvement in cognitive function and auditory perception following cochlear implantation. Multiple neurocognitive tests were strongly associated with current speech perception measures. While these data shed light on the complex relationship between hearing and cognition by showing that CI may slow the expected age-related cognitive decline, further research is needed to examine the impact of hearing rehabilitation on cognitive decline.

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