Burnout, satisfaction and happiness among German general practitioners (GPs): A cross-sectional survey on health resources and stressors

Lena Werdecker,Tobias Esch,Filipe Prazeres

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0253447

Abstract

Well-being is a major issue among health care professionals, especially physicians. Less job satisfaction and impaired health can have an impact on health care quality. Our aim was to examine the association of stressors (illegitimate tasks) and health related resources (work-related sense of coherence; recovery experience) with life satisfaction, happiness, job satisfaction and burnout among German general practitioners (GPs). We conducted a cross-sectional survey among general medical practices in Germany. Main outcome measures were life satisfaction, happiness (Subjective Happiness Scale), job satisfaction (Work Satisfaction Scale) and burnout (Copenhagen Burnout Inventory). 548 GPs from across Germany participated (53.6% males, 45.6% females; mostly representative of German GPs). One third (35.2%) of the participants reported a high prevalence of personal, and one quarter (26.5%) indicated a high prevalence of work-related burnout symptoms. Illegitimate tasks are negatively associated with life and job satisfaction and are positively associated with personal, work-related and patient-related burnout among GPs. Work-SoC and recovery experience are positively associated with life satisfaction, happiness, and job satisfaction and are negatively associated with personal, work-related and patient-related burnout. Female physicians have a higher job satisfaction than male physicians. Being female and working as an employed physician is associated with a higher prevalence of personal burnout symptoms. GPs working in a group practice are happier and more satisfied with their job than GPs in single practices. Personal, work-related and patient-related burnout symptoms are stronger in GPs working in a single practice than in GPs in group practices. Our results highlight that Work-SoC, recovery experience and illegitimate tasks are important for creating work-related well-being among GPs. Introducing health promotion activities which aim to strengthen recovery experience and Work-SoC, as well as interventions to restructure tasks, may increase life satisfaction, happiness, and job satisfaction and reduce burnout symptoms in this health care profession.

Highlights

In recent decades, especially during the COVID-19-pandemic, work-related stress, mental health issues and general well-being among physicians and other health care professionals have shifted to the top of the agenda [1,2,3,4,5]
Work-related and patient-related burnout symptoms are stronger in general practitioners (GPs) working in a single practice than in GPs working in group practices
This study indicates that female GPs are happier than their male colleagues and that age is not associated with job satisfaction

Summary

Introduction

Especially during the COVID-19-pandemic, work-related stress, mental health issues and general well-being among physicians and other health care professionals have shifted to the top of the agenda [1,2,3,4,5]. GPs and their teams are the primary contact point for the general population. A growing number of elderly patients with chronic diseases and multimorbidity, patients with psychosocial needs and an imminent shortage of GPs in Germany contribute to an increase in workload in general care practice [13, 14]. E.g. the tendency to work as an employee and preference for working in cities rather than in rural areas [16], call for monitoring the well-being of GPs

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Conclusion