Burnout and Working Status of Anesthesiologists in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Area of China

Abstract

Background: The problems of occupational stress and burnout in anesthesiologists are raising concerns. In some regions of China, anesthesiologists experience high burnout and low job satisfaction. Data regarding anesthesiologists in high-altitude areas of China are scarce. Therefore, we conducted a survey among anesthesiologists in the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province, focusing on the level of burnout and job satisfaction and the associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed in the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province in China with an anonymous questionnaire. The following information was collected and analyzed: (1) demographic characteristics and work status; (2) job satisfaction assessed by the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire; (3) burnout assessed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey; and (4) sleep patterns and physician-patient communication. Findings: A total of 133 individuals from 20 hospitals completed the survey (response rate of 82%) from March to June 2015. The overall job satisfaction score from the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire was 76.0 ± 9.4. Thirty-seven percent of the participants (95% confidence interval (CI), 29%-45%) met the criteria for burnout. The prevalence of high emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment was 29% (95% CI, 22%-38%), 21% (95% CI, 16%-30%), and 42% (95% CI, 35%-51%), respectively. In a single-factor analysis, years of experience in anesthesiology, caseload, frequency of overtime work and sleep quality were associated with burnout. Interpretation: Anesthesiologists in the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province in China showed a nearly satisfactory level of job satisfaction and a relatively low level of burnout. Measures could be taken to further reduce physicians' burnout levels and improve job satisfaction. Funding Statement: The authors state: No conflict of interest and funding were to declare. Declaration of Interests: The authors state: No conflict of interest and funding were to declare. Ethics Approval Statement: This study adheres to the applicable Enhancing the Quality and Transparency of Health Research (EQUATOR) guidelines. The requirement for written informed consent was waived by the Institutional Review Board of Peking Union Medical College Hospital.