Burnout and work-life balance among physicians: the role of migration background

Burnout, work engagement and work hours - how physicians' decision to work less is associated with work-related factors

BACKGROUND

According to new estimates, the health care sector will suffer a shortage of physicians in primary and specialty care. In this context, work engagement and burnout are two constructs that have gained attention recently. The aim of this study was to investigate how these constructs are related to work hour preference.

METHOD

The present study was based on the baseline survey of the long-term study of physicians with different specialties, in which 1,001 physicians took part (response rate: 33.4%). Burnout was measured using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory adapted for health care professionals; work engagement was assessed using the Utrecht Work Engagement scale. Data analyses included regression and mediation models.

RESULTS

Overall, 297 out of 725 physicians were planning to cut down work hours. Several reasons - such as burnout - are discussed. According to multiple regression analyses desire to work less hours was significantly linked to all three dimensions of burnout (p < 0.001), as well as work engagement (p = 0.001). In addition, work engagement significantly mediated the relationship between the burnout dimensions on work hour reduction (patient-related: b = - 0.135, p < 0.001; work-related: b = - 0.190, p < 0.001; personal: b = - 0.133, p < 0.001 ).

DISCUSSION

Physicians tending to reduce work hours exhibited different levels of work engagement as well as burnout (personal, patient- and work-related). Moreover, work engagement influenced the relationship between burnout and work hour reduction. Therefore, interventions that increase work engagement may positively impact negative effects of burnout on work hour changes.

The Association of Professional Burnout and Turnover Intentions Among Intensive Care Units Physicians: A Cross-Sectional Study

Intensive Care Units (ICU) workers work in highly stressful conditions that make them prone to professional burnout, which can lead to high turnover rates. This study explores professional burnout levels among ICU workers in Kuwait general governmental hospitals (GGHs), their turnover intentions, and the correlation factors. A cross-sectional self-administered survey study was conducted. Professional burnout level was measured using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), while turnover intention was measured using the Turnover Intention Scale (TIS-6). Data were analyzed using STATA software, and descriptive, correlative, and comparative analyses were performed. Eighty-nine ICU physicians filled out the questionnaire. Most of the participants were males, married, non-Kuwaiti nationals, with 10 to 20 years of experience, and the mean age of respondents was 39.2. The total professional burnout score was high was 54.7 (17.6). There were high total average scores for the personal and work-related domains. Participants who were younger than 35 years of age and graduated before 5 to 10 years had higher levels of professional burnout compared to other groups. More than half of the sample expressed their intention to leave their current job as an ICU physician. However, no association was found between turnover intentions and levels of burnout. High levels of professional burnout of turnover intentions were seen among ICU physicians in Kuwait. Policies should be adopted to reduce and mitigate professional burnout among ICU physicians and increase their retention. Future research should further investigate professional burnout among ICU staff, the associated factors, and its relation to their turnover intention.

Burnout and job satisfaction among physicians working in urologic departments who immigrated to Germany, taking into account the income structure of their country of origin

BACKGROUND

Studies are available on physician burnout and job satisfaction (JS) in relation to the specific income structure of the country of residence. However, no studies exist that investigate burnout of immigrated physicians taking into account the income structure of their country of origin (IS-COO) as well as duration of immigration.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the influence of IS-COO on JS, income satisfaction, and critical burnout thresholds in the domains of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and reduction in personal accomplishment (RPA) among urologists with a migrant background working at German hospitals.

METHODS

A questionnaire (Survey-Monkey®/101-items) was conducted among urologists of German hospitals with a migrant background. The online questionnaire was open for study participation from 1 August to 31 October 2020. The study included all physicians with a migration background who were born in a country other than Germany and were currently employed in a German department of urology. Physician burnout (Maslach-Burnout-Inventory) and JS were assessed using validated instruments. The influence of IS-COO and different covariates on the designated endpoints was tested using multivariate-models.

RESULTS

96 urologists with a median stay in Germany of 7 years participated and were stratified according to low (LIC/41.7%), middle (MIC/36.5%) and high (HIC/21.9%) income based on IS-COO. No significant influence of IS-COO on critical thresholds in each burnout domain could be found. Of urologists from LIC, MIC and HIC, 42%, 59% and 57%, respectively, showed rather or extreme JS (p = .446). There was also no significant difference between groups in income satisfaction (p = .838). However, in multivariate-models, duration of stay in Germany (≥7 vs. <7 years) had significant effects on DP (OR: 0.28, p = .038) and RPA (OR: 0.09, p = .014), but not on EE and JS.

CONCLUSION

IS-COO has no impact on burnout and JS among urologists who immigrated to Germany. Similarly, income satisfaction in the country of residence is not influenced by IS-COO.