Incidence and Factors Associated with Burnout in Anesthesiology: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background Burnout syndrome has reached epidemic levels among physicians (reported around 50%). Anesthesiology is among the most stressful medical disciplines but there is paucity of literature as compared with others. Analysis of burnout is essential because it is associated with safety and quality of care. We summarize evidence on burnout in anesthesiology. Methods We conducted a systematic review (MEDLINE up to 30.06.2017). We included studies reporting burnout in anesthesiology with no restriction on role or screening test used. Results Fifteen surveys/studies described burnout in anesthesiology, including different workers profiles (nurses, residents, consultants, and directors). All studies used the Maslach Burnout Inventory test but with significant differences for risk stratification. Burnout prevalence greatly varied across studies (10%–41% high risk, up to 59% at least moderate risk). Factors most consistently associated with burnout were strained working pattern, working as younger consultant, and having children. There was no consistent relationship between burnout and hospital characteristics, gender, or marital status. Conclusions Burnout prevalence among anesthesiologists is relatively high across career stages, and some risk factors are reported frequently. However, the small number of studies as well as the large differences in their methodology and in reporting approach warrants further research in this field.

Analysis of the Risk and Protective Roles of Work-Related and Individual Variables in Burnout Syndrome in Nurses

“…Our results show that sociodemographic variables such as age, sex, civil status, and number of children are not related to levels of burnout in nurses. This is in agreement with other studies that have not found these individual variables to be associated with the presence of burnout among nursing workers [19,21] and similar health professionals [6,17,18,20].…”

Stress, burnout, depression and work satisfaction among UK anaesthetic trainees; a quantitative analysis of the Satisfaction and Wellbeing in Anaesthetic Training study

“…The 25% prevalence of high burnout risk we report is consistent with previous values (10-41%) for trainees and trained anaesthetists worldwide, but notably lower than the 85% reported by the recent RCoA survey [12,27]. This may be because the RCoA survey employed the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory [28] and was conducted closer to the UK junior doctor contract negotiations.…”

“…Having no children, low rates of exercise and higher rates of sickness absence were independently predictive of high depression risk. This supports previous research which shows that having no children is associated with high risk of both depression and burnout . Parenting may ‘humanise’ junior doctors, resulting in less detachment and depersonalisation , although parenthood may also be a surrogate for an effective domestic support system.…”

Gender differences in career satisfaction, moral distress, and incivility: a national, cross-sectional survey of Canadian critical care physicians

“…Although Sanfillipo and coworkers identified several factors (strained working pattern, being a junior consultant, and having children) associated with burnout in anesthetists, they did not find a relationship between BOS and hospital or practitioner characteristics such as gender and marital status. 28 In 3,541 questionnaires completed by German anesthetists, Heinke et al identified that 40% of respondents had a high risk of burnout. Moreover, they noted differences in burnout based on gender (men= 37% vs women = 46%) and qualifications (senior consultant = 29% vs junior doctor = 47%) with the highest burnout scores occurring in junior women physicians.…”