Study reveals impact of trauma on health care professionals in Israel following 2023 terror attack

Research Brief

Background and Goal: The October 7, 2023, terrorist attack in southern Israel forced the evacuation of countless individuals, placing intense demands on health care personnel. Primary care clinicians, who are at the forefront of treating severely traumatized evacuees, are often exposed to secondary trauma, which can affect their mental health and job performance. This study investigated the levels of burnout, well-being, and resilience among health care staff working in primary care clinics in Israel during the aftermath of the attack.

Study Approach: This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 15^th to November 20^th, 2023. Electronic questionnaires were distributed to 600 medical professionals, including family physicians, nurses, medical secretaries, and social workers from urban and rural clinics serving both Jewish and Arab sectors. The questionnaire included demographic questions and two validated questionnaires measuring burnout and positive mental health.

Results: A total of 129 health care professionals completed the survey, 78% of whom were female. The average age was 49 years, most were family physicians (68%), Israeli-born (82%), secular (78%), and Jewish (90%).

• The study results indicate that health care professionals experienced a sense of significance and self-efficacy in treating evacuees, which positively contributed to their well-being. However, prolonged daily exposure, spanning over a month, to traumatized patients led to increased levels of depersonalization among the professionals.
• Health care professionals with more professional experience had better well-being scores and lower levels of mental exhaustion.
• Older health care workers experienced lower levels of emotional detachment from their work.
• Males reported higher levels of well-being than females.

Why It Matters: The well-being of health care personnel is critical to maintaining the quality of care provided to trauma survivors.

The 2023 Terror Attack on Southern Israel: Well-Being and Burnout Among Health Care Personnel Treating Traumatized Evacuees  

Dikla Agur Cohen, MD, MSc

Merav Sudarsky, MD

Department of Family Medicine, Ruth and Baruch Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

The Family Medicine Department, Clalit Health Services, Haifa and Western Galilee District, Israel

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