Burnout among surgeons and surgical trainees: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and associated factors

Jesuyajolu, Damilola; Armstrong, Nicholas; Okeke, Charles; Obi, Chibuike; Aremu, Gamaliel; Obiekwe, Kennedy; Obinna, Ikegwuonu

doi:10.1016/j.sipas.2022.100094

Cited by 14 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Despite previous reports from Nigerian and international studies indicating otherwise, age was found to be a positive predictor of burnout. [2,6,27] Nonetheless, other studies have reported similar results to ours. [27] This difference in results may be due to the fact that our study focused on physicians who have completed their specialist training, excluding those in the early stages of their careers.…”

Section: Emotional Exhaustionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…[2,6,27] Nonetheless, other studies have reported similar results to ours. [27] This difference in results may be due to the fact that our study focused on physicians who have completed their specialist training, excluding those in the early stages of their careers. For example, the youngest participant in this study was 36 years old, which eliminates the in uence of younger respondents.…”

Section: Emotional Exhaustionsupporting

confidence: 90%

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The High Cost of Healing and Teaching: A Cross-sectional Survey of Burnout Among Academic Physicians in Nigeria

Oluwadiya

Olutayo

Adeoye

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Background: Globally, the medical and teaching professions are two major professions with the highest prevalence of burnout, and academic physicians bestride the two professions. This study investigated the prevalence and associated factors of burnout among academic physicians working in tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. Methodology: This was a self-administered online survey. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and sent to 256 academic physicians in tertiary hospitals across Nigeria using the WhatsApp broadcast feature. Findings: A total of 150 Academic Physicians responded, of which there were 121 (80.7%) males and 29 (19.3%) females. The prevalence of burnout in our study was 57.7%. Moderate emotional exhaustion was reported by 12.3% (18 respondents), high emotional exhaustion by 18.5% (27 respondents), moderate depersonalization by 4.8% (7 respondents), high depersonalization by 0.7% (1 respondent), moderate personal accomplishment by 10.4% (16 respondents), and high personal accomplishment by 33.1% (51 respondents). Eight variables: religion, geopolitical zone of practice, enjoyment of academic writing, apathy toward teaching, university ownership, number of published peer-reviewed articles, salary, and supplementary income were significantly associated with emotional exhaustion, while the number of weeks spent teaching in a year and teaching hours/week were significantly associated with depersonalization and personal accomplishment, respectively. Age (OR 1.302, CI 1.080-1.570), Teaching hours/week (OR 0.924, CI 0.854-0.999), Salary (OR 0.996, CI 0.993-1.0), and supplementary salary (OR 0.996, CI 0.993-0.999) were found to significantly predict emotional exhaustion. Conclusion: The high prevalence of burnout among academic physicians in Nigeria highlights the need for further research and implementation of preventive measures

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Section: Emotional Exhaustionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Emotional Exhaustionsupporting

confidence: 90%

The High Cost of Healing and Teaching: A Cross-sectional Survey of Burnout Among Academic Physicians in Nigeria

Oluwadiya

Olutayo

Adeoye

et al. 2023

Preprint

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“…The imperative to maintain mental well-being within this cohort is of utmost importance, yet it is a challenge that has only recently begun to garner the attention it deserves. Recent studies, including those by Jesuyajolu and colleagues in (1), highlights a significant incidence of burnout among physicians and surgeons, underscoring the urgent need to prioritize their mental health (1). Physicians, who may be as much as 2.45 times more likely to commit suicide than non-physicians (2), face an alarming 47% prevalence of burnout symptoms among surgeons, with variations observed across different surgical specialties (1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent studies, including those by Jesuyajolu and colleagues in (1), highlights a significant incidence of burnout among physicians and surgeons, underscoring the urgent need to prioritize their mental health (1). Physicians, who may be as much as 2.45 times more likely to commit suicide than non-physicians (2), face an alarming 47% prevalence of burnout symptoms among surgeons, with variations observed across different surgical specialties (1). Despite the growing recognition of this issue, comprehensive research that penetrates the nuanced dimensions of mental health in the surgical profession remains scarce.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hard shell, soft core? Multi-disciplinary and multi-national insights into mental toughness among surgeons

Knoedler,

Dean,

Knoedler

et al. 2024

Front. Surg.

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BackgroundWith the prevalence of burnout among surgeons posing a significant threat to healthcare outcomes, the mental toughness of medical professionals has come to the fore. Mental toughness is pivotal for surgical performance and patient safety, yet research into its dynamics within a global and multi-specialty context remains scarce. This study aims to elucidate the factors contributing to mental toughness among surgeons and to understand how it correlates with surgical outcomes and personal well-being.MethodsUtilizing a cross-sectional design, this study surveyed 104 surgeons from English and German-speaking countries using the Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ-18) along with additional queries about their surgical practice and general life satisfaction. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were applied to investigate the variations in mental toughness across different surgical domains and its correlation with professional and personal factors.ResultsThe study found a statistically significant higher level of mental toughness in micro-surgeons compared to macro-surgeons and a positive correlation between mental toughness and surgeons' intent to continue their careers. A strong association was also observed between general life satisfaction and mental toughness. No significant correlations were found between the application of psychological skills and mental toughness.ConclusionMental toughness varies significantly among surgeons from different specialties and is influenced by professional dedication and personal life satisfaction. These findings suggest the need for targeted interventions to foster mental toughness in the surgical community, potentially enhancing surgical performance and reducing burnout. Future research should continue to explore these correlations, with an emphasis on longitudinal data and the development of resilience-building programs.

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“…The majority of burnout research that has been conducted to investigate drivers of burnout in surgical settings has been quantitative in nature and situated across different subspecialties, departments, and institutions (8). These studies tend to be focused on producing generalizable findings applicable to healthcare professions and burnout as a whole or center their analyses on individual-level risk factors (8,12). While this research has formed the foundation for what we know about who is impacted by burnout in surgery, these methods neglect the value of examining context-specific social dynamics and the role of the organization in the emergence of this syndrome.…”

Section: Introduction 1backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“I don’t know if I can keep doing this”: a qualitative investigation of surgeon burnout and opportunities for organization-level improvement

McNeill,

Vaillancourt,

Choe

et al. 2024

Front. Public Health

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IntroductionBurnout is a pressing issue within surgical environments, bearing considerable consequences for both patients and surgeons alike. Given its prevalence and the unique contextual factors within academic surgical departments, it is critical that efforts are dedicated to understanding this issue. Moreover, active involvement of surgeons in these investigations is critical to ensure viability and uptake of potential strategies in their local setting. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore surgeons’ experiences with burnout and identify strategies to mitigate its drivers at the level of the organization.MethodsA qualitative case study was conducted by recruiting surgeons for participation in a cross-sectional survey and semi-structured interviews. Data collected were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, which was informed by the Areas of Worklife Model.ResultsOverall, 28 unique surgeons participated in this study; 11 surgeons participated in interviews and 22 provided responses through the survey. Significant contributors to burnout identified included difficulties providing adequate care to patients due to limited resources and time available in academic medical centers and the moral injury associated with these challenges. The inequitable remuneration associated with education, administration, and leadership roles as a result of the Fee-For-Service model, as well as issues of gender inequity and the individualistic culture prevalent in surgical specialties were also described as contributing factors. Participants suggested increasing engagement between hospital leadership and staff to ensure surgeons are able to access resources to care for their patients, reforming payment plans and workplace polities to address issues of inequity, and improving workplace social dynamics as strategies for addressing burnout.DiscussionThe high prevalence and negative sequalae of burnout in surgery necessitates the formation of targeted interventions to address this issue. A collaborative approach to developing interventions to improve burnout among surgeons may lead to feasible and sustainable solutions.

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Burnout among surgeons and surgical trainees: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and associated factors

Cited by 14 publications

References 37 publications

The High Cost of Healing and Teaching: A Cross-sectional Survey of Burnout Among Academic Physicians in Nigeria

The High Cost of Healing and Teaching: A Cross-sectional Survey of Burnout Among Academic Physicians in Nigeria

Hard shell, soft core? Multi-disciplinary and multi-national insights into mental toughness among surgeons

“I don’t know if I can keep doing this”: a qualitative investigation of surgeon burnout and opportunities for organization-level improvement

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