Publication:

Exploring post-pandemic burnout and mental health among healthcare workers in India: a narrative review on prevalence, risk factors and impact

Healthcare workers are essential to any health system, but often they face high levels of burnout and mental health issues. In India, problems such as workforce shortages, overworked health systems, and long hours could make it even more challenging. This narrative review looks at evidence about burnout, depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep problems among Indian healthcare workers and how these issues affect their daily lives and healthcare services. We conducted a thorough search for studies on this topic from January 2020 to January 2026 using PubMed and Google Scholar. The results show that a significant number of Indian healthcare workers experience burnout and have reported higher rates of anxiety and depression. Studies indicate that post-pandemic rates are increasing, causing a significant mental health burden and worsening health care delivery. Burnout is often linked to medical errors, lower-quality care, decreased life satisfaction, absenteeism, and workforce loss. Various factors can contribute to burnout, including individual circumstances, work conditions, institutional support, and cultural effects. Key contributors to burnout were found to include younger age, female sex, longer working hours, poor infrastructure, and mental health stigma. This review emphasizes the need for comprehensive strategies to support the mental health of India’s healthcare workers. Interventions should occur at multiple levels, including mental health screenings, well-being programs in healthcare institutions, workforce expansion, and digital mental health resources.