Prevalence of burnout among Swiss cancer clinicians, paediatricians and general practitioners: who are most at risk?
OBJECTIVE
Increasing economical and administrative constraints and changes in health-care systems constitute a risk for burnout, especially for cancer physicians. However, little is known about differences across medical specialties and the importance of work characteristics.


METHODS
A postal questionnaire addressing burnout, psychiatric morbidity, sociodemographics and work characteristics was administered to 180 cancer physicians, 184 paediatricians and 197 general practitioners in Switzerland.


RESULTS
A total of 371 (66%) physicians participated in the survey. Overall, one third of the respondents expressed signs indicative of psychiatric morbidity and of burnout, including high levels of emotional exhaustion (33%) and depersonalisation/cynicism (28%) and a reduced feeling of personal accomplishment (20%). Workload (>50 h/week), lack of continuing education (<6 h/month) and working in a public institution were significantly associated with an increased risk of burnout. After adjustment for these characteristics, general practitioners had a higher risk for emotional exhaustion (OR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1 to 3.6) and depersonalisation (OR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.4 to 5.3).


CONCLUSIONS
In this Swiss sample, cancer clinicians had a significant lower risk of burnout, despite a more important workload. Among possible explanations, involvement in research and teaching activities and access to continuing education may have protected them.
Division of Oncology, Department of General Internal Medicine, University Hospitals of Geneva, 24 rue Micheli-du-Crest, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
Flavia
F
Arigoni
Patrick A
PA
Bovier
Bernadette
B
Mermillod
Patricia
P
Waltz
André-Pascal
AP
Sappino
D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003861:Depersonalization / Q000523:psychology; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*