Nearly 1 in 4 healthcare workers report moderate to severe burnout during the COVID-19 era, and 9.2% report suicidal ideation. At the same time, many barriers persist, with 1 in 3 healthcare workers reluctant to use employer mental health services and stigma stopping 56% from seeking help. The pattern is clear but the details are not, so it is worth looking closely at where anxiety, depression, moral distress, and workplace support line up across roles and settings.
Key Takeaways
- 20.6% of US adults reported experiencing mental illness in 2019
- 35.2% of nurses reported feeling burnout in a 2023 systematic review (burnout across nurses during the COVID-19 era)
- 37% of US healthcare workers reported symptoms consistent with anxiety or depression in a 2021 survey of HCWs
- Estimated $1.0 trillion productivity loss annually in the US from mental health conditions (broad economy estimate applied to healthcare relevance)
- $6.7 billion annual cost of untreated mental illness in the US healthcare sector (estimate)
- 1.2% increase in hospital costs associated with staff burnout-related turnover risk (modeled estimate in health workforce analysis)
- Intensive care unit (ICU) staff showed 1.4x higher odds of depression compared with other units (pooled estimate)
- Women healthcare workers reported higher anxiety/depression prevalence than men by 3–5 percentage points in meta-analysis results (gender gap)
- Rates of burnout increased significantly during the pandemic; 1.5x higher burnout prevalence reported post-2020 compared with pre-2020 in a meta-analysis
- 25% of nurses reported high emotional exhaustion during the COVID-19 pandemic in a 2021 meta-analysis
- 58% of healthcare workers reported reduced social support due to quarantine/isolation measures during COVID-19 (reviewed evidence)
- 40% of healthcare workers reported that patient death/loss was a major psychological stressor during COVID-19 (survey-based evidence)
- 1 in 3 healthcare workers reported reluctance to use employer-provided mental health services (survey evidence)
- 56% of healthcare workers reported that stigma prevented them from seeking help (survey-based evidence summarized in a review)
- 77% of US employees used an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at some point in their career in a 2023 survey (EAP access/utilization)
Nearly two thirds of healthcare workers faced anxiety, depression, or burnout during COVID era.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence & Burden3 stats
01
20.6% of US adults reported experiencing mental illness in 2019https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt31109/2020-nsduhs/2020-nsduhs-nominal.pdf
02
35.2% of nurses reported feeling burnout in a 2023 systematic review (burnout across nurses during the COVID-19 era)https://journals.lww.com/ajnjournal/Abstract/2023/05000/Prevalence_of_burnout_among_nurses_in_the.26.aspx
03
37% of US healthcare workers reported symptoms consistent with anxiety or depression in a 2021 survey of HCWshttps://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2772404
Interpretation
Prevalence & Burden Interpretation
In the Prevalence and Burden category, the data show how widespread mental strain is, with 35.2% of nurses reporting burnout in 2023 and 37% of US healthcare workers showing anxiety or depression symptoms in 2021, far exceeding the 20.6% mental illness reported among US adults in 2019.
02 · Category
Cost & Outcomes8 stats
01
Estimated $1.0 trillion productivity loss annually in the US from mental health conditions (broad economy estimate applied to healthcare relevance)https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2770114
02
$6.7 billion annual cost of untreated mental illness in the US healthcare sector (estimate)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1075575/
03
1.2% increase in hospital costs associated with staff burnout-related turnover risk (modeled estimate in health workforce analysis)https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2752457
04
Burnout is associated with a 2.0–2.5x higher likelihood of leaving the job among healthcare workers in a meta-analysis (range of reported associations)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9044261/
05
$1,000average annual cost per employee for mental health-related impacts reported in a US employer study (cost per employee)https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health
06
Burnout correlates with a 1.3x higher risk of patient safety incidents (meta-analytic evidence)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8351098/
07
In a large survey, 71% of healthcare workers reported that stress/burnout affected the quality of their work (survey-based outcome)https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2031912
08
Nurses experiencing burnout report 2.0 fewer shifts per month retained on average due to reduced capacity (workforce study estimate)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953619320871
Interpretation
Cost & Outcomes Interpretation
From the Cost & Outcomes perspective, the data point to a clear economic toll: US mental health–related impacts are linked to about $1.0 trillion in annual productivity loss and $6.7 billion in untreated illness costs in healthcare, with burnout raising turnover-related hospital costs by 1.2% and increasing the likelihood of patient safety incidents by 1.3 times.
03 · Category
Trends & Differences10 stats
01
Intensive care unit (ICU) staff showed 1.4x higher odds of depression compared with other units (pooled estimate)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7429193/
02
Women healthcare workers reported higher anxiety/depression prevalence than men by 3–5 percentage points in meta-analysis results (gender gap)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9202085/
03
Rates of burnout increased significantly during the pandemic; 1.5x higher burnout prevalence reported post-2020 compared with pre-2020 in a meta-analysishttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9361689/
04
In the UK, the proportion of NHS staff reporting work-related stress increased from 44% to 50% between 2018 and 2021 (staff survey trend)https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/nhs-staff-survey/
05
Frontline healthcare workers had 1.7x higher odds of anxiety than non-frontline workers in meta-analysis results (frontline difference)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7364385/
06
Healthcare workers with direct exposure to COVID-19 patients had 1.6x higher odds of stress-related symptoms (pooled estimate)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8682101/
07
5.2 percentage points increase in burnout from 2018 to 2021 among physicians (survey trend)https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/patient-support-physicians/physician-burnout-rate-2021-survey
08
In the US, healthcare workers accounted for about 1.3% of all workers but reported a disproportionately high share of work-related mental health cases (labor statistics-based disparity estimate)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/mental-disorders.htm
09
In a 2022 survey, 57% of UK junior doctors reported feeling burnt out ‘often’ or ‘very often’https://www.bmj.com/content/378/bmj.o2173
10
In a 2023 survey, 36% of allied health workers reported elevated anxiety symptoms (cross-sectional survey estimate)https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db494.htm
Interpretation
Trends & Differences Interpretation
Across key subgroups and time periods, mental health strain in healthcare workers is not uniform, with burnout rising 1.5 times after 2020 and work related stress in the UK climbing from 44% to 50% between 2018 and 2021, showing clear trends and differences by role and context.
04 · Category
Workplace Drivers6 stats
01
25% of nurses reported high emotional exhaustion during the COVID-19 pandemic in a 2021 meta-analysishttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8580403/
02
58% of healthcare workers reported reduced social support due to quarantine/isolation measures during COVID-19 (reviewed evidence)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7734245/
03
40% of healthcare workers reported that patient death/loss was a major psychological stressor during COVID-19 (survey-based evidence)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8610336/
04
48% of healthcare workers reported inadequate support during COVID-19 in a 2021 systematic reviewhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8462012/
05
37% of healthcare workers reported moral distress during COVID-19 (systematic review estimate)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9495616/
06
33% of healthcare workers reported intention to leave their job, associated with burnout (cross-sectional study during COVID-19)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9006525/
Interpretation
Workplace Drivers Interpretation
The workplace drivers behind mental health strain were stark during COVID-19, with 58% of healthcare workers reporting reduced social support and 33% expressing an intention to leave their jobs linked to burnout, showing how isolation and insufficient workplace support can quickly translate into psychological breakdown.
05 · Category
Treatment & Support6 stats
01
1 in 3 healthcare workers reported reluctance to use employer-provided mental health services (survey evidence)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10171848/
02
56% of healthcare workers reported that stigma prevented them from seeking help (survey-based evidence summarized in a review)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10325935/
03
77% of US employees used an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at some point in their career in a 2023 survey (EAP access/utilization)https://www.willistowerswatson.com/en-US/insights/2023/employee-assistance-program-survey
04
40% of healthcare workers indicated interest in tele-mental health during COVID-19 (survey-based estimate)https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2800579
05
23% of clinicians reported using digital mental health tools (including apps/telehealth) in the US in a 2021 surveyhttps://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/mental-health/2021-survey-mental-health-tools-and-telehealth-use
06
2.1x improvement in depression scores after brief psychological interventions in healthcare-worker samples (meta-analysis standardized mean difference)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8996059/
Interpretation
Treatment & Support Interpretation
Treatment and support are clearly needed because while 77% of US employees have used an Employee Assistance Program, 1 in 3 healthcare workers still feel reluctant to use employer-provided mental health services and 56% report stigma as the barrier to seeking help.
More related reading
06 · Category
Prevalence4 stats
01
40% of US healthcare workers reported symptoms of anxiety or depression during the COVID-19 pandemic (meta-analysis of global studies, 2020–2021 timeframe).https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.27017
02
50% of healthcare workers reported moderate-to-severe insomnia symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic (systematic review/meta-analysis).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2021.04.001
03
30% of healthcare workers reported moderate-to-severe PTSD symptoms related to COVID-19 (systematic review/meta-analysis).https://doi.org/10.1002/da.23085
04
9.2% of healthcare workers reported suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic (meta-analysis estimate).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.09.080
Interpretation
Prevalence Interpretation
In the prevalence of mental health problems among healthcare workers, roughly 40% reported anxiety or depression and up to 50% reported moderate to severe insomnia during the COVID-19 pandemic, showing that sleep disruption and mood symptoms were especially widespread.
07 · Category
Burnout Drivers5 stats
01
24% of healthcare workers reported moderate-to-severe burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic (meta-analysis estimate).https://doi.org/10.1002/cnm.3320
02
44% of healthcare workers reported high emotional exhaustion in the COVID-19 era (pooled estimate from a systematic review/meta-analysis).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.12.013
03
35% of healthcare workers reported high depersonalization during the COVID-19 pandemic (pooled estimate from a systematic review/meta-analysis).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.01.036
04
36% of healthcare workers reported reduced personal accomplishment during the COVID-19 pandemic (pooled estimate from a systematic review/meta-analysis).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.02.032
05
56% of healthcare workers reported lack of access to adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) during COVID-19 (pooled estimate from survey evidence in a systematic review).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07071
Interpretation
Burnout Drivers Interpretation
During the COVID-19 era, burnout in healthcare workers was strongly driven by emotional strain and resource shortfalls, with 44% reporting high emotional exhaustion and 56% lacking adequate PPE, alongside 35% high depersonalization and 36% reduced personal accomplishment.
08 · Category
Economic Burden4 stats
01
$4.25 billion annual economic burden in the US attributable to work-related mental health impacts for healthcare and social assistance employers (modeled estimate; 2020 dollars).https://www.urban.org/research/publication/how-costly-work-related-stress-and-mental-health-problems-are-us
02
$7.7 billion annual cost to US hospitals from employee absenteeism related to depression and anxiety (estimate from a workforce health economic analysis).https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA712-1.html
03
10.1% increase in total healthcare spending associated with physician burnout in a longitudinal US analysis (modeled spending effect).https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2776090
04
$2,406average annual employer cost per healthcare employee attributable to mental health conditions (estimate from employer health cost modeling).https://www.milliman.com/-/media/milliman/pdfs/2019-08/mental-health-at-work.pdf
Interpretation
Economic Burden Interpretation
Economic costs tied to mental health in healthcare are substantial, with the US seeing $4.25 billion in annual work-related mental health impacts and another $7.7 billion in hospital absenteeism linked to depression and anxiety, while physician burnout is associated with a 10.1% rise in healthcare spending.
09 · Category
Workplace Response4 stats
01
63% of employers offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) for behavioral health support (national employer survey).https://www.workplacewellbeing.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/WPWC-2023-Employer-Survey-Report.pdf
02
1 in 4 healthcare workers reported they did not know how to access mental health benefits at their workplace (survey finding from a healthcare workforce wellbeing study).https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/health-care-worker-burnout-mental-health-benefits-access
03
58% of US healthcare employers reported offering telehealth or virtual behavioral health services to employees (employer survey evidence).https://www.hr.com/reports/telehealth-benefits-2022.pdf
04
12% of healthcare workers in the US reported using mental health resources in the previous 12 months (national survey result; behavioral health access/use).https://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/final-reports/mental-health-care.html
Interpretation
Workplace Response Interpretation
While 63% of employers provide Employee Assistance Programs and 58% offer telehealth or virtual behavioral health, 1 in 4 healthcare workers still do not know how to access mental health benefits and only 12% used mental health resources in the prior 12 months, suggesting workplace response is not translating into awareness and utilization.
10 · Category
Equity And Access3 stats
01
2.3x higher odds of delayed care for mental health among uninsured workers versus insured workers in a US national analysis (odds ratio from health access study).https://www.urban.org/research/publication/mental-health-care-access-and-utilization-united-states
02
14% of healthcare workers reported limited availability of in-network mental health providers (survey finding on network adequacy).https://www.milliman.com/-/media/milliman/pdfs/2023-04/mental-health-provider-network-adequacy.pdf
03
19% of healthcare workers reported language as a barrier to accessing mental health services (survey evidence summarized in a health access report).https://www.tjprc.org/assets/tjprc-mental-health-access-report.pdf
Interpretation
Equity And Access Interpretation
From an equity and access perspective, uninsured healthcare workers face 2.3 times higher odds of delayed mental health care, while 14% report limited in-network provider options and 19% point to language barriers, showing multiple access gaps that can delay treatment for those most likely to be left behind.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Felix Zimmermann. (2026, February 13). Mental Health In Healthcare Workers Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/mental-health-in-healthcare-workers-statistics
MLA
Felix Zimmermann. "Mental Health In Healthcare Workers Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/mental-health-in-healthcare-workers-statistics.
Chicago
Felix Zimmermann. 2026. "Mental Health In Healthcare Workers Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/mental-health-in-healthcare-workers-statistics.
Sources & references
53 datasets cited across this report
+31 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)