This journal article provides a systematic review of the existing literature on compassion fatigue and healthcare worker burnout. It emphasizes and explains the pathways by which they both increase the risks of secondary trauma, anxiety, and depression, and decrease the overall quality of life for healthcare workers.
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Supporting Public Health and Frontline Workers
The COVID-19 pandemic has put immense pressure on frontline and public health workers, exacerbating myriad mental health concerns, including stress, depression, and burnout. As with COVID-19 itself, impacts have disproportionately affected certain populations more likely to hold frontline positions, including women, LatinX people, and people of color. These challenges, compounded with broader issues affecting the workforce, undermine the capacities of frontline and public health workers to provide essential services. Key strategies for supporting frontline and public health workers include building a culture of caring across leadership and organizations, improving employment practices and working conditions, and fostering social support among workers.