Association of subjective workload on burnout in village midwives: A NASA TLX-based investigation

BackgroundVillage midwives play a central role in delivering maternal and primary healthcare services in rural Indonesia, where professional demands are extensive and resources are limited. Understanding the relationship between subjective workload and burnout is essential to support their occupational well-being.ObjectiveThis study examined the association between multidimensional subjective workload and burnout among village midwives using the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX).MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 209 village midwives in Kediri District, Indonesia, selected through simple random sampling from the official registry. Subjective workload was assessed using the six NASA-TLX dimensions: mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, performance, effort, and frustration. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Ordinal logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between workload dimensions and burnout levels.ResultsMost respondents reported moderate workload and moderate burnout. Mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, performance pressure, and effort were significantly associated with higher burnout levels, whereas frustration was not statistically significant.ConclusionsMultiple dimensions of subjective workload were associated with burnout among village midwives. These findings support systematic workload assessment to identify occupational strain and inform institutional strategies to promote midwives' well-being in rural healthcare settings. The cross-sectional design precludes causal inference.