Infection Control and Job Burnout among Workers in Long-Term Care Facilities: The Moderating Role of Social Capital

Abstract

This study aimed to examine how changes in infection control practices among long-term care facility staff before and after the COVID-19 pandemic affected job burnout, and to explore the role of social capital in this process. The analysis utilized survey data collected by the Deokyang District Public Health Center in Goyang City in 2018 and 2023. By comparing the two time points, the study investigated changes in infection control and job burnout, and tested causal relationships between variables using regression analysis. The results indicated that the overall level of job burnout remained largely unchanged, whereas infection control exhibited varied changes across different measures. Infection control training and practice levels improved, whereas the willingness to improve infection control decreased. In terms of impact relationships, the level of infection control practice was identified as a stress-mitigating factor, while willingness to improve infection control was associated with increased workload and stress. Furthermore, social capital demonstrated a partial moderating effect on the relationship between infection control and job burnout, particularly amplifying the link between willingness to improve infection control and decreased job value. Based on these findings, the study discussed that overreliance on staff’s personal commitment and responsibility in infection control may exacerbate job burnout. It also suggested that infection control policies should not only strengthen training and practice but also incorporate organizational support and social capital to buffer staff burdens.