Abstract
BackgroundBurnout among doctors negatively affects health systems and, ultimately, patient care.AimTo determine the prevalence of burnout among doctors working in the district health system in the Overberg and Cape Winelands districts of the Western Cape Province and to compare the findings with those of previous South African studies.SettingRural district hospitals.MethodsDuring 2013, a validated questionnaire (Maslach Burnout Inventory) was sent to 42 doctors working in the district health system within the referral area of the Worcester Hospital, consisting of the Overberg health district and the eastern half of the Cape Winelands.ResultsResponse rate was 85.7%. Clinically significant burnout was found among 81% of respondents. High levels of burnout on all three subscales were present in 31% of participants. Burnout rates were similar to those of a previous study conducted among doctors working in the Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality primary health care facilities. Scores for emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalisation (DP) were greater than those of a national survey; however, the score for personal accomplishment (PA) was greater. EE and PA scores were similar to that of a study of junior doctors working in the Red Cross Children’s Hospital; however, EE was smaller.ConclusionThis study demonstrates high burnout rates among doctors working at district level hospitals, similar to the prevalence thereof in the Cape Town Metropolitan primary health care facilities. Health services planning should include strategies to address and prevent burnout of which adequate staffing and improved work environment are of prime importance.
Highlights
An increasing body of evidence suggests that physician burnout has a detrimental effect on health care delivery worldwide.[1]
Maslach’s burnout model defines a syndrome of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP) and/or a low sense of personal accomplishment (PA) that is related to prolonged occupational stress and frustration and results in reduced effectiveness at work.[2,3]
Emotional exhaustion relates to the occupational stress dimension of burnout, while DP is a consequence of EE and refers to job detachment and callousness, which is detrimental to the doctor–patient relationship
Summary
An increasing body of evidence suggests that physician burnout has a detrimental effect on health care delivery worldwide.[1] Burnout among doctors negatively influences recruitment and retention of doctors, effectiveness and efficiency of health systems and, patient care.[2] These are critical issues for the District Health System of South Africa. Maslach’s burnout model defines a syndrome of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP) and/or a low sense of personal accomplishment (PA) that is related to prolonged occupational stress and frustration and results in reduced effectiveness at work.[2,3] Emotional exhaustion relates to the occupational stress dimension of burnout, while DP is a consequence of EE and refers to job detachment and callousness, which is detrimental to the doctor–patient relationship. Burnout among doctors negatively affects health systems and, patient care
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
