Burnout and Predictors for Burnout among physicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina - survey and study

Nurka Pranjić

Abstract


High rates of professional burnout syndrome have been found among health service professionals. Our objective was to study the prevalence of burnout syndrome among physicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to determine its relationship with environmental factors of the working ambient. A total of 700 physicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina were invited to participate (response rate was 73%, No. of respondents=511). Interviewees were given a specifically designed questionnaire, an Occupational stress questionnaire (OSQ) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. A high level of emotional exhaustion was detected in 27%, a high level of depersonalization was found in 23%, and reduced personal accomplishment was found in 29% of physicians. There is a significant level of burnout among physicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina, although comparison with other countries is still favorable. Occupational characteristics and social- demographic variables were significant predictors of burnout. Low level of job satisfaction (OR=2.41, 95% CI=0.29-4.53) and feeling of high level of stress (OR= 2.00, 95% CI=0.08-3.92) were associated with a high level of emotional exhaustion among physician consultants; a feeling of a high level of stress, urgency to get work and “work is mentally strenuous” are risk factors for a higher level of emotional exhaustion among university teaching consultants and general and family medicine practitioners. Personal accomplishment was not related to social demographics and personal factors among clinical specialists and university teaching consultants. Younger age (OR=3.55, 95%CI= 1.19-5.91) and marital status (single versus not single; OR= 1.93, 95% CI=1.06-2.80) are risk factors for emotional exhaustion among general and family medicine practitioners. In view of the results obtained, to reduce professional burnout, the physicians’ organizational environment should be improved.

Keywords


Occupational burnout, Physicians, Working ambient, Organizational environmental at work

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