Physicians' perceptions of working in mass vaccination sites during COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: This survey was aimed to obtain the characteristics of physicians operating in mass vaccination sites (MVS), emphasizing their motivation to work there. METHOD: We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional internet-based survey involving physicians operating in MVS during the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire comprised demographic characteristics and questions regarding the perception of physicians working in MVS. RESULTS: In total, 140 questionnaire responses were analysed. There were 98 female (70 %) and 42 male (30 %) physicians. Fifty-fi ve were residents (39.3 %), and 85 were attending physicians (60.7 %). As the main motivation for participating in MVS, residents (43.6 %) reported a fi nancial benefi t, while moral responsibility was more common in attending physicians (50.6 %), (p 0.0001). Regarding the will to work in MVS in the future, 78.6 % of the physicians responded positively, regardless of their sex, age, and role (all p 0.05). Physician burnout was more prevalent (32 %) in those study participants, who worked in MVS as part of their work duty. 48 % of these physicians expressed no willingness to work in MVS in the future. All the respondents, who reported the professional experience as their main motivation to work in MVS expressed their will to work in MVS again. CONCLUSIONS: The fi nancial aspect was the most important motivational factor among residents, while moral responsibility was decisive for the attending physicians. Physicians, who participated in MVS as a work duty presented both the most prevalent self-perceived burnout syndrome (32 %) and the hesitancy (48 %) to work in MVS again in the future (Tab. 4, Ref. 15). Text in PDF www.elis.sk