title: Health-related quality of life in patients with Burnout on sick leave: descriptive and comparative results from a clinical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), the cause of being ill, and the pharmacological treatment in patients on sick leave because of Burnout. The HRQoL among these patients was also compared with that of individuals who were working full time.
  
  
  METHODS
  HRQoL was measured using the SWED-QUAL questionnaire, comprising 67 items grouped into 13 subscales, scored from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) points, and covering aspects of physical and emotional well-being, cognitive function, sleep, general health, social, and sexual functioning. The Burnout group (n = 94), mean age 43 years, were on 50% sick leave or more. The comparison group consisted of healthy persons (n = 88) of similar age and educational level who were working full time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Burnout group had markedly low scores in general. The cause of illness was mainly work-related. Psychotropic medication was prescribed for 55%. Significantly lower scores were found in the Burnout group than in the comparison group in all subscales, p < 0.001. The median differences in scores ranged from 10 to 56 points. Differences rated by effect size were large, 0.85-2.01.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients on sick leave because of Burnout rated their HRQoL as very low in general, their cause of being ill was mainly work-related, and psychotropic medication was prescribed for a majority. Their scores were markedly lower in all subscales in comparison with healthy individuals working full time. The study adds to our understanding of the situation of patients with Burnout. The results can be useful in clinical work and future research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Family Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 141 83, Stockholm, Sweden. astrid.grensman@ki.se.
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grensman
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Family Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 141 83, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Bikash Dev
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Acharya
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Family Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 141 83, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wändell
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Family Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 141 83, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.affiliation: The Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Sigbritt
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Werner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D004644:Emotions; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018582:Sick Leave; D012890:Sleep; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents
keywords: Burnout; Humans; Mental health; Professionals; Psychotropic drugs; Questionnaires