Psychological distress and burnout among counsellors working in health information helplines

Authors

  • Kanika Suri Clinical Domain, Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
  • Shailendra Kumar B. Hegde Public Health Innovations, Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
  • Shilpa Sadanand Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
  • Sonali Randhawa Research Associate, Health system Governance. Health System Transformation Platform, New Delhi, India
  • Hardeep Singh Bambrah General Manager, Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
  • Swarnalatha Turlapati General Manager, Piramal Swasthya Management & Research Institute, Guwahati, Assam, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20205712

Keywords:

Burnout, Counsellors, Healthcare, Helpline, Mental-health

Abstract

Background: PSMRI has large numbers of health workforce working in health information helpline (HIHL) in India. Aiming to understand stress, burnout among counsellors working in HIHLs, India. The study aimed to understand the level of stress and linkages and how the health workforce can go through distress working in helplines.

Methods: Individual study interviews were conducted across six states. Socio-demographic details, medical history and lifestyle information, collected. General health questionnaire (GHQ-28) and Copenhagen burnout inventory (CBI)-tools.

Results: 16.9%- work-related burnout, 15.5%- client-related burnout and more than 1/4th (25.3%) had personal burnout. Level of psychological distress and burnout among counsellors working in helplines was high.

Conclusions: The study shows on how the counsellors working in the helplines go through psychological distress and burnout. It also leads to mechanisms that leads to the awareness of psychological distress faced by mental health professionals, and training for support was initiated to develop a mental health platform.

Author Biographies

Kanika Suri, Clinical Domain, Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Dr Kanika Suri a Counseling Psychologist is working in the Clinical Domain Department at PSMRI & heads the mental Health segment at PSMRI.

Shailendra Kumar B. Hegde, Public Health Innovations, Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Dr Shailendra Hegde is Senior VP responsible for Monitoring & Evaluation, in addition to Clinical Domain, Innovations and Tribal Health at PSMRI

Hardeep Singh Bambrah, General Manager, Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Hardeep Singh Bambrah is heading Assam and other north eastern states & is the General Manager at PSMRI North-east Operations

Swarnalatha Turlapati, General Manager, Piramal Swasthya Management & Research Institute, Guwahati, Assam, India

Swarnalatha Turlapati is the General MAnager at Centre of Excellence Department. In addition to being in charge of the Araku project, Swarna is responsible for working with the  implementation of various projects through in Swasthya.

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Published

2020-12-25

How to Cite

Suri, K., Hegde, S. K. B., Sadanand, S., Randhawa, S., Bambrah, H. S., & Turlapati, S. (2020). Psychological distress and burnout among counsellors working in health information helplines. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 8(1), 304–310. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20205712

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Section

Original Research Articles