{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,29]],"date-time":"2025-08-29T10:08:11Z","timestamp":1756462091073,"version":"3.41.2"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,17]],"date-time":"2025-02-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1739750400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>COVID-19 has worsened burnout, marked by exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy. In Lebanon, economic collapse, political instability, the Beirut Port explosion, and social unrest have compounded this, with limited gender-specific data. This study evaluates burnout levels in Lebanese women and men during COVID-19, exploring gender differences and related factors, including burnout mitigation strategies.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>A cross-sectional survey included 423 adult participants aged 18 or older from Lebanon, recruited via online snowball sampling during July 2021 to August 2022. Utilizing the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), participants reported exhaustion (\u2265 12), cynicism (\u2265 11), and low professional efficacy (\u2264 21). Burnout was defined as exhaustion with either cynicism or low efficacy. The survey gathered demographic, family, and professional data, stressors, and burnout mitigation strategies. Analyses were gender-stratified, using descriptive statistics and Pearson\u2019s chi-squared test. Bivariate associations between burnout indicators and sample characteristics were tested using Pearson\u2019s chi-square. Odds ratios (OR) and adjusted ORs for burnout were estimated via logistic regressions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Lebanese women experienced higher rates of burnout compared to men during the pandemic, with significant differences observed in emotional exhaustion (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.006). Factors associated with burnout varied between genders, with women more likely to exhibit exhaustion when residing in the Beqaa, Mount or North Lebanon governorates, being single, having children aged 10\u201315\u202fyears, and most interestingly when lacking support from their boss\/institution. Stressors such as the Lebanese economic crisis and the Beirut Port Explosion were significantly linked to burnout in both genders, with the economic crisis particularly associated with higher levels of exhaustion in men (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.011) and cynicism in both genders (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.001 for men, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.039 for women). Coping strategies, including COVID-19 precautions, social activities, and religious practices, were effective in reducing burnout among both women and men who experienced burnout (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.039 and 0.03, respectively).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>The study contributes to public health efforts, emphasizing the importance of recognizing gender dimensions in addressing burnout during the pandemic, designing targeted interventions and fostering supportive, inclusive environments for collective resilience namely for women at the workplace.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1464268","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,17]],"date-time":"2025-02-17T05:12:00Z","timestamp":1739769120000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Surviving the storm: exploring gender-based burnout in Lebanon during the COVID-19 pandemic"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Aniella","family":"Abi-Gerges","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Hani","family":"Dimassi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Myriam","family":"Boueri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Edwin","family":"Feghali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Melissa Bou","family":"Malham","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marie Josee","family":"Salem","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ranime","family":"Harb","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Elma","family":"Nassar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jana","family":"Mourad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Myriam","family":"Sfeir","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lamis R.","family":"Karaoui","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"397","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev.psych.52.1.397","article-title":"Job burnout","volume":"52","author":"Maslach","year":"2001","journal-title":"Annu Rev Psychol"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1039450","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2022.1039450","article-title":"Measurement of burnout during the prolonged pandemic in the Chinese zero-COVID context: COVID-19 burnout views scale","volume":"10","author":"Lau","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2201","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2020.02201","article-title":"Psychological consequences of social isolation during COVID-19 outbreak","volume":"11","author":"Pietrabissa","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front Psychol"},{"volume-title":"The great resignation in perspective","year":"2022","author":"Gittleman","key":"ref4"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.1016\/j.spp.2021.09.010","article-title":"Impact de la Covid-19 Sur les situations de burn-out parental [impact of Covid-19 on parental burnout situations]","volume":"42","author":"Lebert-Charron","year":"2021","journal-title":"Soins Pediatr Pueric"},{"key":"ref6","unstructured":"Alon\n              T\n            \n            \n              Doepke\n              M\n            \n            \n              Olmstead-Rumsey\n              J\n            \n            \n              Tertilt\n              M\n            \n          \n          \n          2020"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.30924\/mjcmi.27.1.8","article-title":"Women\u2019s overload during the pandemic: unpaid care work, financial well-being, and stress","volume":"27","author":"Bulog","year":"2022","journal-title":"Management"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"794","DOI":"10.1080\/17441692.2022.2043924","article-title":"Prioritising women\u2019s and girls\u2019 health in disaster settings: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and the overlapping crises affecting Beirut","volume":"17","author":"Stevenson","year":"2022","journal-title":"Lebanon Glob Public Health"},{"key":"ref9","unstructured":""},{"key":"ref10","unstructured":"2020"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"260","DOI":"10.12816\/0053910","article-title":"Prevalence of burnout in Lebanese practicing physicians: experience of a developing country","volume":"66","author":"Ashkar","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Med Liban"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"469580241294135","DOI":"10.1177\/00469580241294135","article-title":"Financial literacy and wellbeing among medical students, residents, and attending physicians in Lebanon: results from a nationwide multi-centered survey","volume":"61","author":"Jardaly","year":"2024","journal-title":"Inquiry"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1209191","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2023.1209191","article-title":"A survey-based study about burnout among postgraduate medical trainees: implications for leaders in healthcare management","volume":"11","author":"Yacoubian","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.1007\/s40596-015-0400-3","article-title":"Correlates of depression and burnout among residents in a Lebanese academic medical center: a cross-sectional study","volume":"40","author":"Talih","year":"2015","journal-title":"Acad Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"424","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-023-09422-7","article-title":"Burnout and coping strategies among health system pharmacists in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study","volume":"23","author":"Abilmona","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Health Serv Res"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1156840","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2023.1156840","article-title":"The impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of Lebanese pharmacists: a national cross-sectional study","volume":"11","author":"Safwan","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"volume-title":"The Maslach burnout inventory: test manual","year":"1996","author":"Schaufeli","key":"ref17"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"132","DOI":"10.2174\/1745017901612010132","article-title":"Working and environmental factors on job burnout: a cross-sectional study among nurses","volume":"12","author":"Galletta","year":"2016","journal-title":"Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"168","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jvb.2010.04.006","article-title":"Gender differences in burnout: a meta-analysis","volume":"77","author":"Purvanova","year":"2010","journal-title":"J Vocat Behav"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101","DOI":"10.1111\/gwao.12506","article-title":"COVID-19 and the gender gap in work hours","volume":"28","author":"Collins","year":"2021","journal-title":"Gend Work Organ"},{"key":"ref21","unstructured":"Zamarro\n              G\n            \n            \n              Camp\n              A\n            \n            \n              Fuchsman\n              D\n            \n            \n              McGee\n              J\n            \n          \n          \n          2021"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.1352\/1944-7558-117.1.48","article-title":"Parenting stress and child behavior problems: a transactional relationship across time","volume":"117","author":"Neece","year":"2012","journal-title":"Am J Intellect Dev Disabil"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"671","DOI":"10.1037\/a0015977","article-title":"Family stress and parental responses to children\u2019s negative emotions: tests of the spillover, crossover, and compensatory hypotheses","volume":"23","author":"Nelson","year":"2009","journal-title":"J Fam Psychol"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1327","DOI":"10.1111\/fare.12571","article-title":"Parenting during COVID-19: a study of parents\u2019 experiences across gender and income levels","volume":"70","author":"Kerr","year":"2021","journal-title":"Fam Relat"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103439","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jvb.2020.103439","article-title":"The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marginalized populations in the United States: a research agenda","volume":"119","author":"Kantamneni","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Vocat Behav"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17395","DOI":"10.1007\/s12144-021-02630-6","article-title":"Gender and the pandemic: associations between caregiving, working from home, personal and career outcomes for women and men","volume":"42","author":"Stefanova","year":"2021","journal-title":"Curr Psychol"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"425","DOI":"10.1037\/a0029540","article-title":"Getting better and staying better: assessing civility, incivility, distress, and job attitudes one year after a civility intervention","volume":"17","author":"Leiter","year":"2012","journal-title":"J Occup Health Psychol"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1007\/s11199-013-0337-5","article-title":"Inching toward inclusiveness: diversity climate, interpersonal conflict and well-being in women nurses","volume":"71","author":"Sliter","year":"2014","journal-title":"Sex Roles"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"331","DOI":"10.1007\/s00393-021-01081-5","article-title":"Work situation of rheumatologists and residents in times of COVID-19: findings from a survey in Germany","volume":"82","author":"Kuhlmann","year":"2023","journal-title":"Z Rheumatol"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1351","DOI":"10.1089\/jwh.2023.0045","article-title":"Intersectionality and COVID-19: academic medicine faculty\u2019s lived experiences of well-being, workload, and productivity during the pandemic","volume":"32","author":"Berge","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Women\u2019s Health (Larchmt)"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1177\/00332941231204796","article-title":"The influence of multiple community level traumatic event types on mental health outcomes","author":"Grey","year":"2023","journal-title":"Psychol Rep"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"30","DOI":"10.1037\/tra0001328","article-title":"Prevalence and correlates of mental health difficulties following the Beirut port explosion: the roles of mentalizing and resilience","volume":"16","author":"Tohme","year":"2024","journal-title":"Psychol Trauma"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"200218","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mhp.2021.200218","article-title":"Mental health in Lebanon: tomorrow\u2019s silent epidemic","volume":"24","author":"Farran","year":"2021","journal-title":"Ment Health Prev"},{"key":"ref34","unstructured":"2023"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1464268\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,17]],"date-time":"2025-02-17T05:12:04Z","timestamp":1739769124000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1464268\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,17]]},"references-count":34,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1464268"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1464268","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2296-2565"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,17]]},"article-number":"1464268"}}