Journal Article

Prevalence of burnout and associated factors among general practitioners in Hubei, China: a cross-sectional study

Fang, Pengqian, Jiang, Heng, Xu, Hongbin, Gan, Yong, Lu, Zuxun, Yang, Yudi, Liu, Jianxin, Opoku, Sampson, Wang, Chao, Herath, Chulani, Li, Liqing, Hu, Sai, Chang, Yuanyuan, Yang, Tingting

2019

Overview

Background High occupational burnout among general practitioners (GPs) is an important challenge to China’s efforts to strengthen its primary healthcare delivery; however, data to help understand this issue are unavailable. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of burnout and associated factors among GPs. Methods A cross-sectional design was used to collect data from December 12, 2014, to March 10, 2015, with a self-administered structured questionnaire from 1015 GPs (response rate, 85.6%) in Hubei Province, Central China. Burnout was measured using a 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). MBI-HSS scores and frequency were analyzed by the three dimensions of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA). Factors associated with burnout among GPs were estimated using a multiple linear regression model. Results Of the respondents, 2.46% had a high level of burnout in all three dimensions, 24.83% reported high levels of EE, 6.21% scored high on DP, and 33.99% were at high risk of PA. GPs who were unmarried, had lower levels of job satisfaction, and had been exposed to workplace violence experienced higher levels of burnout. Intriguingly, no statistically significant associations were found between burnout and the duration of GP practice, age, sex, income, practice setting, and professional level. Conclusion This is the first study of occupational burnout in Chinese general practice. Burnout is prevalent among GPs in Hubei, China. Interventions aimed at increasing job satisfaction, improving doctor-patient relationships and providing safer workplace environments may be promising strategies to reduce burnout among GPs in Hubei, China.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adult / Aggression / Analysis / Biostatistics / Burn out (Psychology) / Burnout / Burnout, Professional - epidemiology / Burnout, Professional - psychology / China - epidemiology / Cross-Sectional Studies / Data collection / Depersonalization / Emotions / Environmental Health / Epidemiology / Exhaustion / Family medicine / Family physicians / Family Practice / Female / Frequency analysis / General practitioners / General Practitioners - psychology / Health care / Health care delivery / Health facilities / Humans / Influencing factors / Job satisfaction / Likert scale / Male / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Middle Aged / Occupational health / Occupational safety / Physician-Patient Relations / Physicians / Prevalence / Primary Health Care / Primary healthcare / Public Health / Quality / Regression analysis / Regression models / Research Article / Risk Factors / Sex crimes / Social services / Statistical analysis / Studies / Surveys / Surveys and Questionnaires / Training / Vaccine / Variables / Variance analysis / Violence / Workplace - psychology / Workplace violence / Workplace Violence - psychology