A 2-Question Summative Score Correlates with the Maslach Burnout Inventory.

Simiao Li-Sauerwine,Katie Rebillot,Newton Addo,Matthew Melamed,Michelle Lin

doi:10.5811/westjem.2020.2.45139

Abstract

IntroductionThere is a high prevalence of burnout among emergency medicine (EM) residents. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) is a widely used tool to measure burnout. The objective of this study was to compare the MBI-HSS and a two-question tool to determine burnout in the EM resident population.MethodsBased on data from the 2017 National Emergency Medicine Resident Wellness Survey study, we determined the correlation between two single-item questions with their respective MBI subscales and the full MBI-HSS. We then compared a 2-Question Summative Score to the full MBI-HSS with respect to primary, more restrictive, and more inclusive definitions of burnout previously reported in the literature.ResultsOf 1,522 residents who completed the survey 37.0% reported “I feel burned out from my work,” and 47.1% reported “I have become more callous toward people since I took this job” once a week or more (each item >3 on a scale of 0–6). A 2-Question Summative Score totaling >3 correlated most closely with the primary definition of burnout (Spearman’s rho 0.65 [95% confidence interval 0.62–0.68]). Using the summative score, 77.7% of residents were identified as burned out, compared to 76.1% using the full MBI-HSS, with a sensitivity and specificity of 93.6% and 73.0%, respectively.ConclusionAn abbreviated 2-Question Summative Score correlates well with the full MBI-HSS tool in assessing EM resident physician burnout and could be considered a rapid screening tool to identify at-risk residents experiencing burnout.

Highlights

There is a high prevalence of burnout among emergency medicine (EM) residents
The prevalence of resident burnout using the full Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) tool compared to resident responses to these two single-item questions is displayed in Figures 1 and 2
The single-item measure EE1 correlates with the emotional exhaustion” (EE)(-EE1) subscale, and DP1 correlates with the DP(-DP1) subscale with Spearman’s rho of 0.81

Summary

Introduction

The Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) is a widely used tool to measure burnout. The objective of this study was to compare the MBI-HSS and a two-question tool to determine burnout in the EM resident population. A 2-Question Summative Score Correlates with MBI dedicated to the best means to quantify burnout, in order to develop a meaningful measure to address its prevalence and the impact of interventions to reduce burnout. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) is a widely used tool to measure burnout and has been validated in the physician population.[6] Its three subscale domains are emotional exhaustion (a state of emotional depletion at work [EE]), depersonalization (a lack of feelings or negative and/or cynical feelings toward others [DP]), and personal accomplishment (a sense of success at work [PA]). In interpreting the burnout scale, various definitions have been proposed, from low, primary, and high subscales for each domain to a dichotomous “burned out/not burned out” definition

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