Burnout among primary health care professionals in central Catalonia

Abstract

To estimate the prevalence and severity of burnout syndrome among primary care team professionals and its association with work and demographic variables. Cross-sectional, observational, descriptive, and multicenter study. The sample was made up of healthcare workers in all professional categories in central Catalonia (Barcelona). The study was conducted using the self-administered and anonymous Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaire, adapted to the Spanish population, with three scales that assess emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Quantitative variables were summarized with mean and standard deviation, and qualitative variables with percentages. We used the tStudent t-test for quantitative variables, Pearson's chi-square for categorical variables with Fisher's correction and Mann-Whitney for continuous variables. Results included 95% confidence intervals and a significance level of p<0.05. A total of 614 professionals participated; mean age, 45.6 years, and 84.9% were women. Overall, 54.7% had no affected scales, and 30.4% had at least one affected scale; Burnout involving two or more scales was 14.3%, of which 3.7% presented severe Burnout with alteration of all three scales. High levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment were mostly found in physicians seniors and residents. Burnout syndrome among primary care professionals mainly affects physicians, with little association to the occupational and socio-demographic variables we studied, and represents a psychosocial risk factor for the health of these professionals.