Rotation of healthcare professionals in public and private hospitals in Paraíba before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the turnover of health professionals in the Brazilian state of Paraíba. For this purpose, the overall turnover indices for 2019 and 2020 of public and private hospitals were calculated, as well as disaggregated turnover indices. Analyses were made by mesoregions of Paraíba, by weekly workloads, by professional categories, by employment relationships and by the size of the hospitals. Additionally, it was estimated how these characteristics can influence the individual turnover of these professionals. For that purpose, a hierarchical logit model was used, containing three levels: the first for individuals, the second for hospitals, and the third for municipalities. The results indicate that the pandemic caused by the new Coronavirus, in addition to the increase in the number of health professionals in hospitals in Paraíba, reduced the turnover rates of these workers in 2020. However, in 2021, the turnover indices returned to pre-pandemic years levels.