Assessing burnout and resilience among healthcare workers after the recent aggression in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study

Background: Burnout is prevalent in professions involving interpersonal interactions, such as healthcare. In Lebanon, the recent Israeli aggression has flooded hospitals with injured patients increasing the work demands on healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of burnout and resilience among HCWs in Lebanon after the recent war and explore associated personal and work-related factors. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study involved HCWs currently working and have worked in Lebanon during the war, including physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals. Data collection was carried out during February 2025 by convenience sampling through an online self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of several sections, including personal and demographic information, lifestyle and work-related factors, and validated scales to assess burnout (Oldenburg Burnout Inventory), resilience (Brief Resilience Scale BRS), mental well-being (WHO-5 well-being index), and perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale PSS-4). Results: Data from 382 participants were collected. Mean age was 26.4 (±5.5), and 43.5% were males. Around 50% of the participants were interns, 23% were residents, and 20% were nurses. Most HCWs (97.3%) have at least a moderate level of burnout, and only 3.9% have high resilience. Higher burnout was correlated with increased stress, lower resilience, and poorer well-being ( P < 0.001). Eating a healthy diet was associated with higher resilience and lower burnout scores ( P < 0.05). With multiple regression analysis, WHO-5, PSS-4, BRS, diet, and age explained 35.4% of the variation in burnout ( P < 0.001), with PSS-4 being the most important factor (|B| = 0.3, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The majority of HCWs in Lebanon suffer from burnout. Well-being, resilience, and stress are important factors affecting burnout prevalence. Interventions to manage stress and build resilience would be helpful in alleviating burnout symptoms.