Burnout Among Primary Healthcare Nurses: A Study of Association With Depression, Anxiety and Self-Efficacy

Abstract

Burnout is a significant issue among healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, due to high workloads and emotional demands. However, limited research has explored burnout among primary healthcare nurses in Saudi Arabia, who play a vital role in healthcare delivery. This study aims to address this gap by investigating burnout levels and their association with anxiety, depression and self-efficacy among primary healthcare nurses. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, with 161 primary healthcare nurses from the Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Pearson correlation and logistic regression were used to analyse the associations between study variables. A high prevalence of burnout risk (78.9%) was observed. Emotional exhaustion was detected in 35.4%, depersonalisation in 44.7% and low personal accomplishment in 57.8%. Anxiety (r = 0.707, p < 0.01) and depression (r = 0.564, p < 0.01) were positively correlated with emotional exhaustion, while self-efficacy was negatively correlated (r = −0.260, p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that anxiety (OR = 5.784, 95% CI: 2.056–16.269) and low self-efficacy (OR = 6.625, 95% CI: 2.979–14.737) were significant predictors of burnout. Targeted interventions are essential to mitigate burnout among primary healthcare nurses. Specific measures could include mindfulness-based stress reduction programmes to address emotional exhaustion, peer support sessions to reduce depersonalisation and skill-building workshops to enhance self-efficacy. These interventions can improve nurse well-being and ensure sustainable healthcare delivery in primary care settings.