Digital Counseling Community for Burnout Prevention

Plain-language summary

Burnout syndrome is a serious occupational health problem affecting healthcare professionals worldwide. Defined by emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and reduced personal accomplishment, its consequences span mental health (depression, anxiety, insomnia, substance use), physical health (cardiovascular problems, chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal disorders), and professional performance (reduced quality of care, absenteeism, staff turnover). Primary care professionals are a particularly high-risk group due to sustained workload, administrative burden, and limited autonomy. Despite the availability of evidence-based interventions - including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, mindfulness, and organisational strategies - their implementation remains limited. Digital tools have shown promising results, but most mobile applications address stress generically and are costly to develop. Online communities via WhatsApp have emerged as an accessible, low-cost alternative with potential to deliver psychoeducational content and peer support effectively. BurnOutCare is a structured 9-week pilot intervention delivered via WhatsApp, led by Mental Health Nursing professionals, comprising four modules: mindfulness, emotional regulation, conflict resolution, and burnout prevention. Content is shared three times per week using short texts, guided audio exercises, brief videos, interactive surveys, and infographics. A private individual channel provides personalised support. The study aims to assess the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of this approach in primary care professionals at OSI Barrualde-Galdakao (Basque Country, Spain), and to generate validated content and evidence to inform the future development of a purpose-built web/mobile health application for burnout prevention.

Who can participate

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Trial details