Dataset Information

Burnout Among Surgeons in the UK During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cohort Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Surgeon burnout has implications for patient safety and workforce sustainability. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of burnout among surgeons in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This cross-sectional online survey was set in the UK National Health Service and involved 601 surgeons across the UK of all specialities and grades. Participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a bespoke questionnaire. Outcome measures included emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and low personal accomplishment, as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS).

Results

A total of 142 surgeons reported having contracted COVID-19. Burnout prevalence was particularly high in the emotional exhaustion (57%) and depersonalisation (50%) domains, while lower on the low personal accomplishment domain (15%). Burnout prevalence was unrelated to COVID-19 status; however, the greater the perceived impact of COVID-19 on work, the higher the prevalence of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. Degree of worry about contracting COVID-19 oneself and degree of worry about family and friends contacting COVID-19 was positively associated with prevalence on all three burnout domains. Across all three domains, burnout prevalence was exceptionally high in the Core Trainee 1-2 and Specialty Trainee 1-2 grades.

Conclusions

These findings highlight potential undesirable implications for patient safety arising from surgeon burnout. Moreover, there is a need for ongoing monitoring in addition to an enhanced focus on mental health self-care in surgeon training and the provision of accessible and confidential support for practising surgeons.

SUBMITTER: Houdmont J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8547303 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:ObjectiveThis study aims to determine the prevalence and degree of Burnout during the COVID 19 pandemic in practicing Pakistani dentists.IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted dental practices worldwide, leading to increased stress and burnout among dental practitioners. Burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, can have detrimental effects on the quality of care and patient safety. Previous studies have shown high rates of burnout among healthcare workers, including dentists. The pandemic has added new challenges, such as financial losses and increased costs due to safety protocols. Recognizing and managing burnout is crucial to mitigate its severe consequences. By understanding the prevalence of burnout in this unique context, strategies can be developed to support dental practitioners and improve their well-being.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted using a 22-items based validated Maslach Burnout Inventory. The study was conducted between July and September 2021. Practicing dentists across Pakistan were approached via social media platforms. The questions were answered on a 7-point Likert scale. The sums of the scores were used as the evaluation criteria. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 24. Shapiro Wilk test was used to check normality of data. Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests were utilized to analyze the differences in the prevalence of burnout amongst the different demographic groups. A P-value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.ResultsTotal of 282 dentists responded with 116 (41.1 %) male and 166 (58.9 %) female. Majority of the respondents were postgraduate residents (24.8 %), 47.9 % of the practitioners had 0-3 years of work experience, 48.6 % of the respondents were practicing in the Federal region, and 62.8 % of the subjects were between the age of 25-34. Emotional exhaustion was the major dimension of burnout identified in our study with 47.5 % of the population reporting high levels, while only 23 % of the population showed high levels of depersonalization and 29.4 % showed low sense of personal accomplishment.ConclusionThis study indicates a considerable percentage of burnout in the chosen sample. The mean scores of Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization and Diminished sense of personal accomplishment were all found to be in the moderate range, and that appropriate measures should be taken to manage it.