Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Burnout, low motivation, and poor job satisfaction among community health workers (CHWs) have negative impacts on health workers and on patients. This study aimed to characterize levels of burnout, motivation, and job satisfaction in CHWs in Madhya Pradesh, India and to determine the relation between these levels and participant characteristics. This study can inform efforts to promote wellbeing and address stress in this population. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited participants via simple random sampling without replacement. We administered two validated questionnaires, the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and a Motivation and Job Satisfaction Assessment, to CHWs who had enrolled in a training program to deliver a brief psychological intervention for depression. We calculated mean scores for each questionnaire item, examined the reliability of the measures, and analyzed associations between participant demographic characteristics and questionnaire scores. RESULTS: 339 CHWs completed the questionnaires. The personal burnout domain had the highest mean burnout score (41.08, 95% CI 39.52-42.64, scale 0-100) and 33% of participants reported moderate or greater levels of personal burnout. Items that reflected physical exhaustion had the highest item-test correlations. The organization commitment domain had the highest mean motivation score (mean 3.34, 95% CI 3.28 - 3.40, scale 1-4). Items describing pride in CHWs' work had the highest item-test correlations. Several pairwise comparisons showed that higher education levels were associated with higher motivation levels (degree or higher vs. 8(th) standard [p=0.0044] and 10(th) standard [p=0.048], and 12(th) standard vs. 8(th) standard [p= 0.012]). Cronbach's alpha was 0.82 for the burnout questionnaire and 0.86 for the motivation and job satisfaction questionnaire. CONCLUSION: CHWs report experiencing burnout and feeling physically tired and worn out. A sense of pride in their work appears to contribute to motivation. These findings can inform efforts to address burnout and implement effective task-sharing programs in low-resource settings.