Risk of Burnout in Danish GPs and Exploration of Factors Associated with Development of Burnout: A Two-Wave Panel Study

Abstract

Background. We assessed risk of burnout in GPs during a 7-year followup and examined whether (1) thoughts about changing medical specialty increased the risk of burnout and (2) burned out GPs had higher job turnover rates than burnout-free GPs. Methods. In 2004 and 2012, all GPs in the county of Aarhus, Denmark, were invited to participate in a survey. Retirement status of physicians who participated in 2004 was obtained through the Registry of Health Providers in 2012. Results. 216 GPs completed both surveys. The risk of developing burnout during the 7-year followup was 13.2% (8.2–19.6%). GPs who in 2004 were burnout-free and reported that they would not select general practice as medical specialty again had a statistically significant increased risk of burnout in 2012 (OR = 4.5; 95% CI = 1.2–16.5; P = 0.023). Among GPs with burnout in 2004, 25.0% had withdrawn from general practice during followup compared to 28.8% of burnout-free GPs in 2004 (adj. OR = 0.99; 95% CI = 0.48–2.02; P = 0.975). Conclusion. The 7-year incidence of burnout was 13%. Thoughts about changing medical specialty were an important predictor of burnout. Burned out GPs had not higher job turnover rates than burnout-free GPs.

Emotionally exhausting factors in general practitioners’ work

“…We found that GPs who were emotionally exhausted were older and more experienced than their non-exhausted colleagues, but they showed no differences with respect to gender, marital status, specialization, or work position. In line with our results, emotional exhaustion among GPs in the other studies is independent of gender [ 10 , 25 ]. However, that older and more experienced GPs are more often emotionally exhausted is different from what is suggested in other literature.…”

“…In our study, the prevalence of GPs’ emotional exhaustion was 18%. Similar figures have been reported among Swiss primary care doctors (19%) [ 22 ], among French and Australian trainees in general practice (16%) [ 26 , 32 ], and among Danish GPs (14%) [ 25 ]. In a study from the UK, 46% [ 33 ] and, in another study from Serbia, 58% [ 19 ] of GPs experienced high emotional exhaustion.…”

“…Several studies have explored the incidence and prevalence rates of emotional exhaustion and burnout among GPs [ 17 , 20–25 ]. A Danish study reported a 13.5% incidence of burnout among GPs during seven-year follow-up [ 25 ]. A recent study has calculated an average prevalence of emotional exhaustion among GPs in Europe of 43%, and a corresponding figure for burnout of 31.5% [ 17 ].…”

Characteristics and predictors of burnout among healthcare professionals: a cross-sectional study in two tertiary hospitals

“…40 Online supplementary table 2 shows the country-wise prevalence of burnout, EE, DP, and low PA in different studies. 9–30 In a tertiary children’s hospital, with a 22-bed pediatric intensive care unit (PICU)/neonatal Intensive care unit (ICU), a 17-bed cardiac ICU and a teaching hospital with 3-adult ICUs, Colville et al 41 found that the prevalence of burnout was 37% whereas the prevalence of clinically significant post-traumatic stress symptoms was 13%. The authors noted a degree of overlap between burnout and other measures of distress, most notably for anxiety (OR, 10.56).…”

“…While the overall prevalence of burnout was estimated to range from 2.6% to 69.9%, emotional exhaustion (EE) was observed in 8.7–63.2%, depersonalisation (DP) in 8.5–52% and low personal accomplishment (PA) in 4.4–73.3%. 8–34 Burnout prevalence varies among different subgroups of physicians (eg, general practitioners, anaesthetists, senior doctors and dentists).…”