Triggering Risk Factors of the Burnout Syndrome in Ob/Gyn Physicians from a Reference Public University of Brazil

Fátima Ferreira Bortoletti,Ricardo Werner Sebastiani,José Oliveira Siqueira,Ana Maria Teresa Benevides-Pereira,Luciano Marcondes Machado Nardozza,Esdras Guerreiro Vasconcellos,Antonio Fernandes Moron,Edward Araujo Júnior

doi:10.5402/2012/593876

Fátima Ferreira Bortoletti, Ricardo Werner Sebastiani + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/593876

Copy DOI

Abstract

Objective. To identify the risk factors to the development of Burnout Syndrome in Ob/Gyn Brazilian physicians in four dimensions: emotional exhaustion (EE), professional repression (PR), dehumanization (De), and emotional distancing (EmD). Methods. A prospective cross-sectional study was realized with 48 Ob/Gyn physicians (12 lecturers, 12 attending physicians, 12 medical residents, and 12 graduate students) from Department of Obstetrics, São Paulo Federal University (UNIFESP). We used a sociodemographic questionnaire focusing on the activities (administrative, educational, healthcare, and research). We applied a Burnout Syndrome Inventory (BSI) composed of two parts: triggering factors (ISB1) and the Burnout Syndrome (ISB2). The ISB1 is composed of two scales: positive organizational conditions (POC) and negative organizational conditions (NOC). The ISB2 is composed of four scales: EE, PR, De, and EmD. Results. We observed a rate below and above average to POC and NOC, respectively. The dimensions recorded a level above average to EE, an index at the upper limit of the average to De, a median index to EmD, and a median index to PR. Conclusions. The Ob/Gyn physicians are in an area of vulnerability for the development of Burnout Syndrome due to the high level of EE and De, associated with a median index of PR. The high rate of NOC contributes to the triggering of this scenery.

Highlights

Burnout Syndrome was defined for the first time by Herbert Freudenberger as a condition of fatigue or frustration produced by dedication to a cause expected to give positive results that conflicts with a reality that does not correspond to the professional’s expectations [1]
All participants worked at a public hospital, and 60.4% worked at private hospitals; 4.2% developed activities in healthcare insurance plans, 60.4% worked in private medical offices, and 41.7% worked with ultrasound in Obstetrics
In the graduate student group, we found three positive and significant correlations, in which the first was between dimensions of emotional exhaustion (EE) and De (r = 0.899) with a significance level P = 0.000; the second was between EE and emotional distancing (EmD) (r = 0.665) with a significance level P = 0.018; the third between dimensions De and EmD (r = 0.802) with a significance level P = 0.002

Summary

Introduction

Burnout Syndrome was defined for the first time by Herbert Freudenberger as a condition of fatigue or frustration produced by dedication to a cause expected to give positive results that conflicts with a reality that does not correspond to the professional’s expectations [1]. Symptoms would be the result of a poorly adaptive and realistic effort that causes exhaustion due to negligence of one’s own needs in favor of full dedication to work. This clinical approach privileges the importance of individual variables in the onset of the syndrome. Professional wear and tear is a response to chronic stress at work, and results from a process that suffered interference both from individual characteristics and from those of the work environment. When the body cannot return to its normal state it adapts

Methods

Results

Conclusion