Alyssa M. Civantos, BA,1 Yasmeen Byrnes, BA,1 Changgee Chang, PhD,2 Aman Prasad, BS,1 Kevin Chorath, BS,3 Seerat K. Poonia, MD,4 Carolyn M. Jenks, MD,4 Andrés M. Bur, MD,5 Punam Thakkar, MD,6 Evan M. Graboyes, MD, MPH,7 Rahul Seth, MD,8 Samuel Trosman, MD,9 Anni Wong, MD,9 Benjamin M. Laitman, MD, PhD,9 Brianna N. Harris, MD,10 Janki Shah, MD,11 Vanessa Stubbs, MD,12 Garret Choby, MD,13 Qi Long, PhD,2 Christopher Rassekh, MD,4 Erica Thaler, MD,4 Karthik Rajasekaran, MD4
1 Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
2 Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
3 Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
4 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
5 Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS
6 Department of Otolaryngology, George Washington University, Washington, D.C
7 Department of Otolaryngology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
8 Department of Otolaryngology, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
9 Department of Otolaryngology, Mt. Sinai Health System, New York City, NY
10 Department of Otolaryngology, Scripps Health/Senta Clinic, San Diego, CA
11 Department of Otolaryngology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
12 Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami, Miami, FL
13 Department of Otolaryngology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
 
Address correspondence and reprint request to:
Karthik Rajasekaran, MD,
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery,
800 Walnut St, 18th Floor,
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Email: Karthik.Rajasekaran@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
 
Disclosures: This work has never been published or presented anywhere. The authors have no financial or industry relationships to disclose.
Funding: This work was supported by the Nationtal Institute of Health P30 CA016520 grant (QL).
Running title: Mental Health among otolaryngologists during COVID-19
Keywords: COVID-19, mental health, mental wellness, otolaryngologists, psychiatric distress
  
Abstract
Background: Otolaryngologists are amongst the highest risk for COVID-19 exposure.
Methods: A cross-sectional, survey-based, national study evaluating academic otolaryngologists. Burnout, anxiety, distress, and depression were assessed by the single-item Mini-Z burnout assessment, 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale, 15-item Impact of Event Scale, and 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire, respectively.
Results: 349 physicians completed the survey. 165 (47.3%) were residents and 212 (60.7%) were males. Anxiety, distress, burnout and depression were reported in 167 (47.9%), 210 (60.2%), 76 (21.8%) and 37 (10.6%) physicians respectively. Attendings had decreased burnout relative to residents (OR 0.28, CI [0.11-0.68]; p=0.005). Females had increased burnout (OR 1.93, CI [1.12.-3.32]; p=0.018), anxiety (OR 2.53, CI [1.59-4.02]; p<0.005), and distress (OR 2.68, CI [1.64-4.37]; p<0.005). Physicians in states with greater than 20,000 positive cases had increased distress (OR 2.01, CI [1.22-3.31]; p=0.006).
Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of burnout, anxiety, and distress is high among academic otolaryngologists.