Modifiable risk factors related to burnout levels in the medical workplace in Taiwan: cross-sectional study

Abstract

ObjectivesTo detect the combined effects of lifestyle factors on work-related burnout (WB) and to analyse the impact of the number of weekend catch-up sleep hours on burnout risk in a medical workplace.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingHospital-based survey in Taiwan.ParticipantsIn total, 2746 participants completed the hospital’s Overload Health Control System questionnaire for the period from the first day of January 2016 to the end of December 2016, with a response rate of 70.5%. The voluntary participants included 358 physicians, 1406 nurses, 367 medical technicians and 615 administrative staff.Primary and secondary outcome measuresAll factors that correlated significantly with WB were entered into a multinomial logistic regression after adjustment for other factors. The dose–response relationship of combined lifestyle factors and catch-up sleep hours associated with WB was explored by logistic regression.ResultsAbnormal meal time (adjusted OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.85 to 3.15), frequently eating out (adjusted OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.97), lack of sleep (adjusted OR 5.13, 95% CI 3.94 to 6.69), no exercise (adjusted OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.81) and >40 work hours (adjusted OR 2.72, 95% CI 2.08–3.57) were independently associated with WB (for high level compared with low level). As the number of risk factors increased (1–5), so did the proportion of high severity of WB (adjusted OR 1.39, 95% CI 0.45 to 4.27, to adjusted OR 32.98, 95% CI 10.78 to 100.87). For those with more than 7 hours’ sleep on workdays, weekend catch-up sleep (≤0/>0 and ≤2/>2 hours) was found to be related to an increase of burnout risk (adjusted OR 4.91, 95% CI 2.24 to 10.75/adjusted OR 4.94, 95% CI 2.54 to 9.63/adjusted OR 6.74, 95% CI 2.94 to 15.46).ConclusionWB in the medical workplace was affected by five unhealthy lifestyle factors, and combinations of these factors were associated with greater severity of WB. Weekend catch-up sleep was correlated with lower burnout risk in those with a short workday sleep duration (less than 7 hours). Clinicians should pay particular attention to medical staff with short sleep duration without weekend catch-up sleep.

Prevalence and severity of burnout in Hong Kong doctors up to 20 years post-graduation: a cross-sectional study

“…Siu et al ’s study did not find that exercise was a stress-relieving factor against burnout. 20 However, the positive effects of exercise on burnout have been seen in some studies in Taiwan, 46 France 9 and the USA, 48 similar to the findings of this study.…”

“…20 Although 24.8% of the respondents in our sample fell into the ‘at-risk’ category for alcohol use, this level of drinking was not correlated with burnout which was also similar to Siu et al ’s HK study and a Taiwan study on doctors. 46 In contrast, studies on US physicians have shown that alcohol abuse and dependence can be related to burnout. 26 These findings may suggest that HK physicians are less likely to turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism for stress.…”

Burnout y calidad de vida en traumatólogos chilenos: ¿Estamos realmente bien?

“…Múltiples publicaciones han descrito la asociación entre las horas de sueño y el burnout, indicando una relación inversa entre ambos, además de múltiples efectos adversos, tanto en la salud física como mental. 30,31 En lo que respecta al contexto laboral, se observó una asociación significativa entre el cansancio al final de la jornada y el auto-reporte de burnout. Particularmente, realizar turnos de urgencia y un mayor número de horas en la jornada laboral, no se asociaron significativamente con una mayor tendencia al burnout.…”

“…Pese a ese potencial sesgo, los resultados del presente estudio son, en su mayoría, comparables con la literatura internacional. 5,7,30,31,33,34 Finalmente, este reporte fue realizado sólo en especialistas en Ortopedia y Traumatología, por lo que no necesariamente refleja la realidad de otras especialidades. Sin embargo, existen reportes internacionales similares entre especialidades quirúrgicas 1,5,8,22,23 y en médicos en formación en Chile.…”

“…Esas simples medidas están respaldadas en la literatura. 5,7,30,31,33,34 Como conclusión, más de la mitad de los traumatólogos encuestados reportaron burnout más de una vez al año y cerca del 10% presentan síntomas depresivos semanalmente. Una edad menor a 40 años, anhedonia, el temor a demandas laborales y el cansancio al final de la jornada, fueron las variables de mayor impacto en la manifestación del burnout.…”