Burnout among public servants after the Great East Japan Earthquake: decomposing the construct aftermath of disaster

Abstract

: Objectives :To examine whether disasterrelated variables, in addition to known work-related risk factors, influence burnout and its subscales (exhaustion, cynicism, and lack of professional efficacy) among public servants who experienced a major disaster. Methods: Cross-sectional studies were conducted among public servants of Miyagi prefecture at 2 and 16 months after the Great East Japan Earthquake (n=3,533, response rate 66.8%); burnout was assessed at 16 months using the Japanese version of the Maslach Burnout InventoryGeneral Survey. We examined the relationships between burnout and its subscales with disaster-related variables at 2 months after the disaster, while controlling for age, gender, and work-related variables at 16 months after the disaster. Results: After controlling for age, gender, and work-related variables, a significant risk factor of burnout was having severe house damage. For the each subscale of burnout, living someplace other than their own house increased the risk of both exhaustion and cynicism, while handling residents' complaints did so only for exhaustion. Notably, workers from health and welfare departments showed an increased risk of burnout, exhaustion, and cynicism, but not lack of professional efficacy. Conclusions: The findings suggest that special attention is needed for workers with severe house damage to prevent burnout, as well as those who lived someplace other than their own house to prevent exhaustion and cynicism after a major disaster. Interventions directed at workers of the health and welfare department should focus more on limiting exhaustion and cynicism, rather than promoting professional efficacy.

Effect of Job Strain on Job Burnout, Mental Fatigue and Chronic Diseases among Civil Servants in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China

“…We found that civil servants under a high level of job strain had a higher incidence of moderate and severe burnout. The percentage was as high as 60.2%, which is consistent with previous findings on job burnout among civil servants in Southern Brazil [ 39 ] and local government employees in Japan [ 4 ]. Tense human relationships, heavy work and life pressure and fierce competition contribute to nervous tension in many civil servants.…”

Health Risks in Disaster Responders: A Conceptual Framework

“…Suzuki, Fukasawa, Obara, and Kim noted the deterioration of physical health due to mental distress in prefectural public servants working in major affected sites during the Great East Japan Earthquake. 24 For the same event, the authors postulated workers' protection and safety being compromised to enhance professional efficacy. Likewise, Guan, Xiaerfuding, Li, Lian, and Jiang noted that job strains associated with disaster relief work, characterized by isolation from family, coping to a new environment, and the complexity of job roles and responsibilities, may induce both chronic physical and mental illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, and PTSD.…”

Stress and Burnout in Health-Care Workers after the 2009 L’Aquila Earthquake: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

“…The results demonstrated that direct exposure to the earthquake was a significant predictor of high burnout. In fact, local workers not only experienced the disaster themselves, but were also under pressure to respond to others’ needs in the aftermath of the earthquake as well as to completing their regular duties ( 17 ).…”