title: Emotionally exhausting factors in general practitioners' work.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Emotional exhaustion is central in burnout syndrome and signals its development. General practitioners' (GP) work is emotionally challenging but research on these aspects is lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the prevalence of emotional exhaustion among GPs and to evaluate how their characteristics and work experiences are associated with emotional exhaustion.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire survey was carried out among GPs in Finland in 2011 in which questions were posed regarding their experience of emotional exhaustion and items related to their work experiences and professional identity. A statement "I feel burnt out from my job" (never, seldom, sometimes, quite often, or often) enquired about emotional exhaustion. Those responding quite often or often were categorized as emotionally exhausted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the GPs, 68% responded (165/244). Of the respondents, 18% were emotionally exhausted. Emotional exhaustion was associated with older age, longer working history, experiences of having too much work, fear and reports of having committed a medical error, low tolerance of uncertainty in their work, and feeling alone at work. No differences in positive work experiences were found. In logistic regression analysis working experience > 5 years (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.6-10.8; p = 0.0036) and feeling alone at work (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.2-7.1; p = 0.020) predicted emotional exhaustion, having committed a medical error in the past three months predicted it marginally significantly (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.0-5.9, p = 0.057), whereas tolerating uncertainty well protected against it (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.09-0.7; p = 0.0098).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Emotional exhaustion among GPs was common and associated with longer working history, having committed a medical error, and feelings of isolation at work. GPs should receive more support throughout their careers.
authors: a Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Torppa
authors: b Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care , University of Helsinki, and Unit of Primary Health Care, Helsinki University Central Hospital , Helsinki , Finland.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Kuikka
authors: b Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care , University of Helsinki, and Unit of Primary Health Care, Helsinki University Central Hospital , Helsinki , Finland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Nevalainen
authors: b Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care , University of Helsinki, and Unit of Primary Health Care, Helsinki University Central Hospital , Helsinki , Finland.
authors: K H
authors: KH
authors: Pitkälä
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D058006:General Practice; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D019300:Medical Errors; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035501:Uncertainty; D016526:Workload
keywords: Burnout; Finland; emotional exhaustion; experiences at work; general practice; general practitioner; medical errors; professional identity; uncertainty