Efficacy and Acceptability of Digital and Web-Based Interventions for Stress and Burnout Among Physicians: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Acad PsychiatryAug 14, 2026 (epub)
Conall O'Rourke, Mike Murphy, Erik Montagna et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of digital and web-based interventions for reducing stress and burnout among physicians. The analysis included 21 studies, revealing a significant reduction in burnout scores (SMD = -0.34, p < 0.005) from randomized controlled trials, indicating these interventions may be beneficial for physician well-being.
Key findings
- Significant reduction in burnout scores (SMD = 0.29, p < 0.0001) across 18 comparisons.
- Stress scores significantly reduced (SMD = 0.55, p < 0.01) with high heterogeneity in 7 comparisons.
- Between-groups analysis showed a significant reduction in burnout scores (SMD = -0.34, p < 0.005) from 10 randomized controlled trials.
Why it matters
Understanding the effectiveness of digital interventions for stress and burnout is crucial for improving physician mental health, which can enhance job satisfaction and patient care quality.
What to keep in mind
Current evidence is limited by small sample sizes, study design heterogeneity, and high attrition.