Assessing burnout and occupational stress among racial and ethnic minority rehabilitation professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

Homecare Rehabilitation Professionals (HcRPs) provide services including occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech-language therapy to clients in various settings. HcRPs experience burnout and occupational stress, which can significantly impact their participation and engagement at work. These experiences have increased since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data related to racial and ethnic disparities, burnout, occupational stress, and future policy implications were collected with the objectives to: 1) understand HcRPs’ experience of burnout, stress, and coping during the pandemic, and 2) explore HcRPs’ recommendations for optimizing service delivery during and/or after the pandemic. In this qualitative study, we conducted interviews with 10 HcRPs from racial and ethnic minorities. A thematic analysis was performed to analyze primary results, yielding three main themes: 1) Impact of HcRP’s race/ethnicity on patient-clinician interactions; 2) Reasons for burnout and emotional exhasution during the pandemic; and 3) Coping strategies and policy recommendations for improving productivity and service delivery. Participants faced racial discrimination from clients rather than their organization. Participants experienced occupational stress and emotional exhaustion, exacerbated by the pandemic. This empirical study documents inequities, challenges, and mitigation strategies among HcRPs. The findings provide evidence to support community-based organizations in fostering safe, cohesive, and inclusive working environments for HcRPs.