Moral obligation to follow anti-COVID-19 measures strengthens the mental health cost of pandemic burnout

Background: It has been observed that people become gradually exhausted by receiving COVID-19-related information and adhering to the corresponding preventive measures as the pandemic unfolds. This phenomenon is known as pandemic burnout. Emerging evidence shows that pandemic burnout is related to poor mental health. This study extended the trendy topic by examining the idea that moral obligation, a crucial motivation driving people to follow the preventive measures, would amplify the mental health cost of pandemic burnout. Methods: Participants were 937 Hong Kong citizens (88 % females, 62.4 % aged 31–40 years). They participated in a cross-sectional online survey reporting on pandemic burnout, moral obligation, and mental health problems (i.e., depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress). Results: Findings of moderation model analyses showed that higher levels of pandemic burnout and moral obligation were related to more mental health problems. Importantly, the “pandemic burnout–mental health problems” links were moderated by moral obligation, with those who felt more morally obliged to follow the measures reporting poorer mental health than those who felt less morally obliged to do so. Limitations: The cross-sectional design of the study may constrain the evidence about the directions and causality of the relationships. Participants were only recruited from Hong Kong and females were over-represented, thus limiting the generalizability of the findings. Conclusions: People who experience pandemic burnout while feeling more morally obliged to follow the anti-COVID-19 measures are at greater risk of mental health problems. They might need more mental health support from medical professionals.