Burnout syndrome in internal medicine specialists and factors associated with its onset

Background and objectives: Burnout is a psychosocial syndrome caused by stressful working conditions and affects 30-60% of medical personnel. The aim of this study was to assess the burnout rate of Spanish internists and the factors related to its onset.

Material and methods: We conducted a survey of work conditions followed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory, which was disseminated through the email registry and social networks of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine. We performed a descriptive study and a univariate and multivariate analysis assessing the variables associated with burnout syndrome.

Results: A total of 934 internists (58.8% women and a median age of 40.0 years) answered the survey. Some 55.0% of the internists indicated high emotional fatigue, 61.7% indicated a high sense of depersonalisation, and 58.6% indicated low personal fulfilment. Some 33.4% of the interns experienced burnout. Burnout syndrome was independently related to age (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.94-0.98), poor work environment (OR 1.94; 95% CI 1.31-2.82), insufficient wages (OR 1.79; 95% CI 1.20-2.67), receiving threats (OR 1.703; 95% CI 1.204-2.410) and the feeling of a lack of professional progress (OR 2.83; 95% CI 1.92-4.17).

Conclusions: Burnout syndrome affects 33.4% of internists in Spain, and its onset is independently related with age, poor work environment, a lack of professional progress, insufficient financial remuneration and experiencing threats by patients or colleagues.