Physician Burnout and Well-Being in Repeated Cross-Sectional Surveys During War in Ukraine

Background:Evidence on physician burnout during war is scarce.In Ukraine, the full-scale invasion has exposed physicians to prolonged occupational and psychological stress, but changes in burnout and well-being over time remain poorly understood. Material/Methods:A 2-wave survey was conducted in 6 hospitals across 4 western regions of Ukraine (Lviv, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, and Zhytomyr) in February to March 2023 (first wave) and February 2024 (second wave), approximately 1 and 2 years after the full-scale invasion.All physicians were invited, with 386 and participating in the first wave, 521 participating in the second wave, and 164 participating in both waves.Burnout was assessed with the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), and well-being with the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5).Separate multivariable logistic regression models were fitted for burnout and well-being. Results:Burnout prevalence as measured with the MBI-HSS did not differ materially between the 2023 and 2024 survey waves (44% vs 43%), nor did WHO-5 scores (median of 60 in both waves).The pattern of associations was also similar across waves: frequency of assisting war victims was not associated with burnout or well-being, whereas higher psychological well-being was consistently associated with lower odds of burnout in both waves. Conclusions:In repeated cross-sectional samples of physicians from western Ukrainian hospitals, burnout and well-being did not differ meaningfully between the 2023 and 2024 survey waves.Self-reported frequency of assisting war victims was not associated with either outcome, whereas higher well-being was associated with lower odds of burnout.