Temporal Trends in Physician Burnout During and After the COVID ‐19 Pandemic in Japan: A Repeated Cross‐Sectional Study

ABSTRACT Background To examine how burnout among Japanese internists and primary care physicians evolved from the onset of the coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic to the post‐pandemic period. Methods We reanalyzed data from five web‐based surveys of members of the American College of Physicians—Japan Chapter between January 2020 and April 2024. Burnout was assessed using the Japanese version of the Mini‐Z 2.0 survey. The survey dates corresponded to major pandemic phases: early pandemic (January 2020), first‐wave peak (June 2020), mid‐pandemic (March 2021), post‐emergency (December 2022), and recovery phase (April 2024). Temporal trends in burnout prevalence were analyzed using the Cochran–Armitage test. Results A total of 1099 respondents were included. Burnout prevalence was the highest during the early pandemic (34.6% in January 2020, 34.5% in June 2020), declined modestly during the mid‐pandemic phase (31.8% in March 2021), and further decreased to 26.2% by April 2024. A significant linear decline in burnout prevalence was observed over time ( P trend = 0.038). Reduction in burnout corresponded with the easing of pandemic restrictions, vaccine rollout, and stabilization of healthcare operations. Conclusions Burnout among Japanese internists and primary care physicians declined significantly from the peak of the COVID‐19 pandemic to the recovery phase. However, approximately one‐quarter of physicians remained affected in 2024.