Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41490852›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

Predicting burnout, anxiety and depression among Canadian healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional secondary analysis study.

Kishana Balakrishnar, Bao-Zhu Stephanie Long, Raihana Premji, Charlene Choi, Aishvinigaa Sathananthan, Mandaakini Choppella, Maryna Mazur, Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Kishana BalakrishnarDepartment of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, ReSTORE Lab, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-1459-8127
Bao-Zhu Stephanie LongDepartment of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, ReSTORE Lab, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Raihana PremjiDepartment of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, ReSTORE Lab, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Charlene ChoiDepartment of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, ReSTORE Lab, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Aishvinigaa SathananthanDepartment of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, ReSTORE Lab, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Mandaakini ChoppellaDepartment of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, ReSTORE Lab, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Maryna MazurDepartment of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, ReSTORE Lab, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Behdin Nowrouzi-KiaDepartment of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, ReSTORE Lab, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada behdin.nowrouzi.kia@utoronto.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5586-4282

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis study aimed to identify the predictors of burnout, anxiety and depression among healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

designA secondary quantitative analysis of data from the Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC).

settingHealthcare professionals across Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.

participants1439 Canadian healthcare professionals. MEASURES: Data from MHRC, collected between April 2020 and January 2024, including sociodemographic factors and measures of burnout, anxiety and depression.

resultsIn total, 1439 participants were included in the analysis. Women (OR: 2.25; 95% CI 1.46 to 3.48), younger workers (OR: 2.29; 95% CI 1.29 to 4.06) and mental health professionals (OR: 2.59; 95% CI 1.11 to 6.01) were more likely to experience burnout. Meanwhile, men (OR: 2.05; 95% CI 1.40 to 3.00), younger workers (OR: 8.58; 95% CI 4.12 to 17.86) and physicians (OR: 2.01; 95% CI 1.16 to 3.46) had an increased likelihood of being diagnosed with anxiety. Similar findings were obtained for depression, where men (OR: 1.74; 95% CI 1.18 to 2.56), young workers (OR: 5.22; 95% CI 2.68 to 10.18), physicians (OR: 2.11; 95% CI 1.22 to 3.64), visible minorities (OR: 2.29; 95% CI 1.55 to 3.38) and those with a physical impairment (OR: 4.79; 95% CI 2.55 to 8.97) were more likely to receive a diagnosis since the COVID-19 pandemic.

conclusionsThese findings underscore the need for targeted clinical interventions among healthcare professionals during and beyond public health emergencies. Specifically, healthcare institutions should implement accessible mental health programmes, regular psychological assessments and workload management strategies for those who face increased vulnerabilities to mental health struggles.

Indexed as

AnxietyBurnout, ProfessionalCOVID-19DepressionHealth PersonnelAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCanadaCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsAnxiety disordersBurnoutCOVID-19Depression & mood disordersMENTAL HEALTH

Identifiers

PMID41490852
PMCPMC12778333

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.