Factors Associated With Burnout Among Healthcare Workers: A Literature Review

Abstract

Burnout is a psychological syndrome caused by prolonged work-related stress and has become a major issue among healthcare workers, as it affects individual well-being and the quality of healthcare services. This study aimed to identify factors associated with burnout among healthcare workers through a literature review. The hypothesis of this study is that workload, work stress, work shifts, work environment, social support, and organizational leadership have significant relationships with burnout. This study employed a literature review design using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach. Data were collected through article searches in Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink databases within the publication range of 2016–2026. A total of 115 articles were identified in the initial stage, followed by screening and selection processes, resulting in 25 articles that met the inclusion criteria. The analyzed articles consisted of national and international journals discussing healthcare workers in hospitals and primary healthcare centers. The findings showed that workload and work stress were the most dominant factors associated with burnout, followed by work shifts, work environment, social support, and organizational leadership. High workload and prolonged work stress contributed to emotional exhaustion, decreased work motivation, and reduced quality of healthcare services. These findings imply that healthcare organizations need to implement effective workload management, strengthen social support, and improve leadership strategies to reduce burnout among healthcare workers. This article is supported by 25 references and 1 PRISMA flowchart.