title: [Not quite the same: illness beliefs regarding burnout and depression among the general population].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined illness beliefs of the lay public associated with the diagnostic labels burnout and depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Representative population survey in Germany 2011, using unlabelled case vignettes of a person suffering from depression. Following presentation of the vignette, respondents were asked openly how they would call the problem described. Agreement with various illness beliefs was elicited with Likert-scaled items.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seeing the problem as inherited predicted use of the label depression (OR 1.29, p < 0.001), while stress at work as a perceived cause was associated with use of the label burnout (OR 1.56, p < 0.001). Belief that the problem described resembled everyday experiences (belief in a symptom continuum) also predicted using the label burnout instead of depression (OR 1.31, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although overlapping with beliefs about depression, the diagnostic label burnout is also associated with specific illness beliefs among the general public.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bahlmann
authors.affiliation: Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schomerus
authors.affiliation: Center for Public Mental Health, Gösing am Wagram, Österreich.
authors.forename: Matthias C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Angermeyer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003469:Culture; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D055809:Illness Behavior; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic