Hospital factors that predict intention of health care workers to leave their job during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Purpose: To identify factors responsible for hospital health care workers' intention to leave their job during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design: A cross-sectional study was performed.

Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was delivered to solicit hospital health care workers' demographics, intention to leave, workplace environment, and changes related to COVID-19 from July to November 2020 in Taiwan. Principal component analysis was performed to compare group-related factors. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the risk factors for the intention of health care workers to leave their job.

Findings: Among the 1209 health care workers (mean age, 36.3 years) who participated in the study, intention to leave the job was found to be related to factors relating to COVID-19, including perceived risk, affected social relationships, and increased workload and job stress, after adjustment for demographic and work factors. Supportive administration/management were protective factors against leaving the job. These results were supported by sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the intention of health care workers to leave their job during a pandemic is related to potentially modifiable factors relating to the infection itself and work environment.

Clinical relevance: High perceived risk of COVID-19, affected social relationaops, and increased workload and job stress were positively associated with the intention of health care workers to leave their job, whereas supportive administration and management were protective factors against leaving the job. Development of workplace strategies is important to help mitigate these above factors, improve psychological wellbeing, and promote workforce stability.

Keywords: COVID-19; health personnel; health workforce; intention to leave; occupational health.