Burnout syndrome among medical residents: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Hugo Rodrigues,Karen Gurgel,Ricardo Cobucci,Leany Medeiros,João Victor Cabral,Antônio Oliveira,Ana Katherine Gonçalves,Tházio Souza,Florian P Junne

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0206840

Hugo Rodrigues, Karen Gurgel + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206840

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Abstract

BackgroundBurnout is a psychological syndrome that is very common among medical residents. It consists of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and reduced personal accomplishment (PA).ObjectiveTo estimate burnout among different medical residency specialties.MethodsA systematic review with meta-analysis was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A search of bibliographic databases and grey literature was conducted, from inception to March 2018. The following databases were accessed: Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Scopus, and 3,575 studies were found. Methodological quality was evaluated by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Methodology Checklist for Cross-Sectional/Prevalence Study. In the final analysis, 26 papers were included. Their references were checked for additional studies, but none were included.Results4,664 medical residents were included. High DP, EE and low PA proportions were compared. Specialties were distributed into three groups of different levels of burnout prevalence: general surgery, anesthesiology, obstetrics/gynecology and orthopedics (40.8%); internal medicine, plastic surgery and pediatrics (30.0%); and otolaryngology and neurology (15.4%). Overall burnout prevalence found for all specialties was 35.7%.ConclusionThe prevalence of burnout syndrome was significantly higher among surgical/urgency residencies than in clinical specialties.PROSPERO registrationCRD42018090270.

Highlights

First described in 1974,[1] burnout syndrome is a psychological syndrome arising from a continued response to chronic interpersonal stressors while at work.[2]
Situations of emotional exhaustion and irritability in the work environment could lead to the development of psychiatric problems, with an emphasis on burnout, which is characterized by its subdimensions, being emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and diminished personal accomplishment.[9,10]
The overall prevalence rate of high emotional exhaustion (EE) was 38.9%

Summary

Introduction

First described in 1974,[1] burnout syndrome is a psychological syndrome arising from a continued response to chronic interpersonal stressors while at work.[2]. Work-related stress among healthcare professionals has become a serious health problem for workers and the world economy.[4] The syndrome among both doctors in practice and in training, has reached epidemic levels, with a prevalence near to or exceeding 50%.[5,6,7,8] it has a notable economic impact, since the cost of replacing a physician in the workplace is up to 2–3 times his/her annual salary.[4]. Situations of emotional exhaustion and irritability in the work environment could lead to the development of psychiatric problems, with an emphasis on burnout, which is characterized by its subdimensions, being emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and diminished personal accomplishment.[9,10]. Burnout is a psychological syndrome that is very common among medical residents. It consists of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and reduced personal accomplishment (PA).

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