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

Abstract

ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence and severity of burnout and explore the factors associated with burnout among Hong Kong medical graduates up to 20 years post-graduation.DesignCross-sectional survey.SettingHong Kong.ParticipantsDoctors who graduated from the University of Hong Kong between 1995 and 2014.Primary and secondary outcome measuresBurnout as measured by the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), alcohol consumption as measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Version C, lifestyle behaviours (hours of sleep and work, exercise, smoking, substance use), career satisfaction and sociodemographic characteristics were obtained using paper or online questionnaires.ResultsResponse rate was 30.9% (496/1607). Prevalence of CBI burnout was 63.1% (personal), 55.9% (work-related) and 35.4% (patient-related). The mean CBI subscale scores were 57.4±21.4 (personal), 48.9±7.4 (work-related) and 41.5±21.8 (client-related). Factors associated with personal and patient-related burnout included age (coeff −0.437, 95% CI −0.779 to −0.095 and coeff −0.596, 95% CI −0.965 to −0.228, respectively), practice setting (coeff −5.759, 95% CI −10.665 to −0.853 and coeff −5.317, 95% CI −10.602 to −0.032, respectively) and regular exercise (coeff −6.855, 95% CI −11.102 to −2.608 and coeff −6.769, 95% CI −11.333 to −2.205, respectively). Gender (coeff 5.1, 95% CI 1.382 to 8.818), average hours of sleep per night (coeff −5.200, 95% CI −7.139 to −3.262) and work hours per week (coeff 0.226, 95% CI 0.099 to 0.353) were associated with personal burnout only. No factors were significantly associated with work-related burnout.ConclusionBurnout is highly prevalent among Hong Kong medical graduates. Younger doctors, women and those working in the public sector appear to be at higher risk for burnout and may benefit from targeted interventions. Policymakers and healthcare authorities should consider measures to help reduce burnout by enabling adequate sleep, reducing work hours and encouraging exercise.

Burnout and well-being in young doctors in Hong Kong: a territory-wide cross-sectional survey

“…The mean client-related score was 49.0 ± 22.3, slightly below the score of 50 that constituted the threshold for burnout. These scores were higher than in the previous study performed in Hong Kong by Ng et al, 10 which showed mean CBI scores of 57.4 ± 21.4 (personal), 48.9 ± 7.4 (work-related), and 41.5 ± 21.8 (client-related). Moreover, when compared with studies worldwide that used the CBI to measure burnout in doctors, 15,16,18,22 the levels of burnout in the present study were among the highest.…”

“…9 Another survey also suggested that burnout was prevalent among doctors in Hong Kong, but it only included graduates from one medical school in Hong Kong. 10 Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of burnout in the Hong Kong medical and dental workforce by administering standardised questionnaires to a broad population of residentsin-training and doctors within 10 years of their specialist registration. The study also explored wellbeing among doctors in terms of job satisfaction, depression, lifestyle behaviours, and factors associated with these states.…”

“…More recently, a more comprehensive survey involving medical graduates of one university in Hong Kong found high prevalences of personal (63.1%) and 55.9% (work-related) burnout using the standardised CBI. 10 The more comprehensive survey represents the most comprehensive and robust study in Hong Kong thus far, but it only included graduates from one university in Hong Kong; it did not include any doctors trained elsewhere.…”

Occupational Burnout Among Public Medical Officers During the Early Stage of Covid-19 Pandemic in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

“…Doctors with more than 60 working hours per week and doing night shift would be expected to have a significantly much higher prevalence of burnout however in this study, however, there was no significant differences in the prevalence of burnout among them. The finding was contradicted with other studies done in various countries where long working hours and night shift were significantly associated with burnout [33][34][35] . The contradiction might be due to that those medical officers had already been able to cope with the long working hours and night shift as they have been experienced during their housemanship training years 36 .…”

Well-being of Academy Fellows and specialty trainees: what is the problem?

“…In this issue of Hong Kong Medical Journal, Kwan et al 1 report the results of a survey of young doctors in Hong Kong (residents in training and specialists within 10 years of registration), showing high rates of burnout using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (73% reported personal burnout; 71% reported work-related burnout; and 55% reported client-related burnout) and depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (21%). Although the worldwide prevalence of burnout among medical professionals is increasing, 2 the local situation in Hong Kong 1,3,4 is alarming and the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine is committed to tackling this problem. A Well-being Charter has been promulgated in confirmation of the commitment of the Academy and its 15 constituent Colleges.…”