Public Health Policy Analysis

Publication Date

2026

College

College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

Department

Public Health, Department of

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Gavilo-Lane

Presentation Type

Article

Summary

Workforce strain, burnout, and suicidality among healthcare workers is a public health concern in the United States. Physicians, nurses, physician assistants, and other clinical staff work in high-stress environments with taxing workloads, long hours, and exposure to trauma and death. Burnout is defined as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced professional efficacy from chronic workplace stress, and is linked to anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation (WHO; Melnyk et al., 2025).

Physicians have higher odds of burnout (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.63–2.05) and lower odds of satisfaction with work-life integration (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.53–0.66) than other U.S. workers (Shanafelt et al., 2025). Suicide risk is also elevated among healthcare workers. In a cohort of U.S. adults, age- and sex-standardized suicide rates per 100,000 people was 21.4 for healthcare support workers, 16.0 for registered nurses, and 15.6 for health technicians. This is compared with 12.6 for non-healthcare workers. After adjusting for demographics, healthcare workers had a 32 percent higher risk of suicide (adjusted HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.13–1.54), with registered nurses (HR 1.64), healthcare support workers (HR 1.81), and health technicians (HR 1.39) at significantly elevated risk (Olfson et al., 2023). Suicide risk extends beyond physicians to other clinical staff under substantial occupational stress.

These burdens are prominent in settings such as hospitals, emergency departments, and intensive care units, where long hours and high patient caseloads are typical. Staffing shortages worsen burnout and can impede healthcare workers’ ability to maintain work-life balance or address their own health needs. Burnout contributes to medical errors, diminished quality of care, and workforce turnover (Li et al., 2024). Attrition intensifies staffing shortages, reduces healthcare access, and causes strain on remaining providers (NASEM, 2019).

Addressing the working conditions and mental health needs of healthcare professionals is essential for protecting provider well-being, maintaining patient safety, and ensuring quality care for patients of the U.S. healthcare system.

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