Work ability index, absenteeism and depression among patients with burnout syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to estimate the association of burnout syndrome and depression; burnout syndrome and sick leave; and burnout syndrome with Work Ability Index in patients who suffer from stress at work.


METHODS
The control clinical study was conducted in the Teaching Department for Professional Pathology and Toxicology at the Primary Health Care Center Tuzla in the period from 2009 to 2014. The study included 140 patients exposed to different levels of stress at work. Besides conducted interviews and anamnesis with working anamnesis, physical examination, all patients were subjected to diagnostic package of questionnaires for assessing exposure to stress at work and its effects on health and work ability and Hamilton Rating Scale for screening depression. All patients were referred to the Department with suspected distress and burnout syndrome. For this study we used a questionnaire for measuring intensity of burnout (two categories exclude suffering from burnout syndrome: successfully overcome stress at work and sometimes feel stress at work and the other two reveal the initial and very high burn-out syndrome. Studied group was consisted of patients categorized with burnout syndrome (n=88).


RESULTS
The questionnaire on the Work Ability Index (WAI) estimated characteristics of sick leave and prognostic factors with current work ability index. Lack of support at work with poor personal relations is the most common factor with the mobbing in burnout syndrome. Significantly more patients with the burnout syndrome suffered very severe depression 49%:37%; more use long sick leaves 53%:21%; several of them have poor WAI 51%:31% compared to those who are only exposed to stress at work (p=0.001). We found that the burn-out syndrome is predictor for developing depression (β=0.312, 95% CI, 0.114-0.353, p=0.001); absenteeism (β=0.285, 95% CI, 0.093-0.334, p=0.001); and a decline in working ability (β=0.413, 95% CI, 0.297-0.648). All the patients in whom it is found burnout syndrome is to provide medical and non-medical assistance in order to achieve stabilization of health and positive work orientation, mental rehabilitation and reintegration at work place.


CONCLUSIONS
The process involves serious emergency measures in work organization which include improved in working environment, communication and combat against mobbing.
Department of Occupational Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina ; Department of Occupational pathology and toxicology, University department of Medicine, Primary Health Care Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Nurka
N
Pranjic
Department of Occupational Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina ; Institution of Occupational Health and Sport Medicine in Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Ljiljana
L
Males-Bilic
declining work ability index; sick leave; stressors as risk factors at work