Surveys of 137 contact tracers in March 2021, and 218 tracers in September 2021 showed that they experienced an increase in burnout-related exhaustion, mental distress and feelings of tension and pressure.
Contact tracers with a background in healthcare were more likely to have symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The findings can inform future training and psychological support of contact tracers.
Contact tracer burnout is part of a wider collection of success stories across four themes from this year’s annual Health Research in Action.
Download the full Health Research in Action publication (549 kB).
