title: Prevalence and factors associated with occupational burnout among HIV/AIDS healthcare workers in China: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Burnout is a psychosomatic syndrome characterized by three dimensions (emotional exhaustion [EE], feelings of depersonalization [DP], and reduced personal accomplishment [PA]). We determined the prevalence of burnout and mental health status between HIV/AIDS healthcare workers and other healthcare workers, and determined the factors associated with burnout of HIV/AIDS healthcare workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  All participants were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire. The participants were recruited from the departments of infectious diseases in four hospitals which treated HIV/AIDS. The questionnaire included demographics, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), and the Trait Coping Style Questionnaire (TCSQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 512 questionnaires were distributed; 501 questionnaires were completed and collected (the response rate was 97.9 %). After eliminating nine invalid questionnaires (1.80 %), 264 physicians and nurses caring for HIV/AIDS and 228 physicians and nurses caring for other infectious diseases provided valid responses (98.2 %). The HIV/AIDS healthcare workers' scores on the emotional exhaustion (F = 6.350, p = 0.012) and depersonalization dimensions (F = 8.533, p = 0.004) were significantly higher than other healthcare workers. The HIV/AIDS healthcare workers had higher total scores and positive items on the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) compared with other healthcare workers. Low job satisfaction, serious somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, poor quality of sleep, high psychoticism scores, and use of negative coping styles were frequently associated with burnout.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Burnout was shown to be highly prevalent in HIV/AIDS healthcare workers, 76.9 % of whom met the accepted criteria for burnout. In addition, compared with other healthcare workers, HIV/AIDS healthcare workers experienced lower levels of psychological health. Interventions should be targeted at reducing the occurrence of burnout and alleviating psychological pressure amongst HIV/AIDS healthcare workers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Public Health Institute of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Zhengxue
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Public Health Institute of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Mingqi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of infection control, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Public Health Institute of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunization Programs, Heilongjiang Province Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Public Health Institute of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Jiarun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Public Health Institute of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Xiuxian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Public Health Institute of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Public Health Institute of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Public Health Institute of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Jingsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Public Health Institute of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China. yanjie1965@163.com.
authors.forename: Yanjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Daqing LongNan Hospital, Daqing, China. scorpion1121CMQ@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiuwei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhai
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Burnout; China; HIV/AIDS healthcare workers; Psychology