Efficacy of Individual-Level Interventions to Mitigate the Risk for Burnout Among Health Care Professionals : A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Abstract

There is limited evidence of the strategies to mitigate burnout among all health care professionals (HCPs). To evaluate the effectiveness of all interventions to mitigate burnout among HCPs. PubMed and Scopus (up to 14 May 2025). Independent study selection (2 people) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cluster RCTs of interventions to mitigate burnout (vs. no active intervention) among HCPs. Independent extraction with validation by second reviewer. Continuous data for burnout outcomes extracted for emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization, personal accomplishment (PA), and single-concept burnout measurement. Separate random-effects models were stratified by role. 93 RCTs and 6 cluster RCTs evaluating individual-level interventions were included (9330 participants). Among physicians, professional coaching was probably effective in reducing some aspects of burnout (EE standardized mean difference [SMD], -0.37 [95% CI, -0.62 to -0.13], low certainty; and depersonalization SMD, -0.30 [CI, -0.42 to -0.19], moderate certainty), but mindfulness-based interventions may not be effective (EE SMD, -0.46 [CI, -1.28 to 0.35], very low certainty; depersonalization SMD, -0.09 [CI, -0.30 to 0.12], moderate certainty). However, mindfulness-based interventions may reduce burnout among nurses and midwives (EE SMD, -0.90 [CI,-1.46 to -0.34], low certainty) and among a mixture of HCP roles (EE SMD, -0.40 [-0.65 to -0.16], low certainty; depersonalization SMD, -0.36 [CI, -0.58 to -0.14], low certainty; and PA SMD, 0.48 [CI, 0.29 to 0.67], moderate certainty). Mindfulness-based and professional coaching interventions were generally more than 4 weeks in duration. Most trials were unblinded with subjective outcomes. There was substantial heterogeneity among interventions and populations despite stratifying by role. Although mindfulness-based interventions may reduce burnout in nurses and midwives and among a mixture of HCPs, professional coaching probably reduces burnout among physicians, particularly when sustained for more than 4 weeks. Barts Charity. (PROSPERO: CRD42024552385).