The Issue of Burnout and Work Satisfaction in Younger GPs—A Cluster Analysis Utilizing the HaMEdSi Study

Abstract

The shortage of general practitioners (GPs) in Germany has become a relevant problem. Therefore, it is important to find the determinants that make primary care more attractive, and which support GPs remaining in practice. Our aim in this exploratory study was to search for relevant GP subgroups and their characteristics in order to find starting points for improvements or interventions. We attempted a comprehensive survey of all GPs in the German region of Siegen-Wittgenstein with about 280,000 inhabitants. There were 158 GPs in the total population; 85 of these (53.8%) took part in the study. There were 64 male GPs (75.3%) in our sample. The mean age of the participants was 53.5 years (SD 8.93). The questionnaire was composed of demographic questions, questions regarding future perspectives, the Motivation for Medical Education Questionnaire (MoME-Q), the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Work Satisfaction Questionnaire. K-means cluster analyses were used for subgrouping. A 2-cluster solution had good statistical quality criteria. Cluster 1 was characterised by elderly GPs who more frequently had a resident physician in their practices. These GPs had low burnout scores and high work satisfaction scores. Cluster 2 consisted of younger GPs who less frequently had a resident in their practices. They had average burnout scores according to published norms and lower work satisfaction scores. There seems to be an age cohort effect regarding burnout and work satisfaction. Having a resident physician seems to be protective. Interventions should be designed for younger GPs, especially members of generation Y, to reduce burnout and improve work satisfaction.

Burnout, satisfaction and happiness among German general practitioners (GPs): A cross-sectional survey on health resources and stressors

“…This study indicates that female GPs are happier than their male colleagues and that age is not associated with job satisfaction. Previous studies report inconsistent findings for gender and age differences [ 14 , 48 , 50 , 73 , 75 , 76 ].…”

Burnout in French General Practitioners: A Nationwide Prospective Study

“…Studying factors influencing burnout are of particular interest to build preventive effective strategies and to avoid its public health consequences. In addition to sociodemographic such as age [9][10][11], gender [10][11][12], and family status [12], some occupational characteristics are also known to be risk factors of burnout such as workload [11,13] and long work duration [12]. Similarly, GPs are also exposed to emergencies during night shifts, which can be particularly stressful [14][15][16] and can be linked with burnout [17].…”

Association between burnout and wellness culture among emergency medicine providers

“…[1][2][3][4] High burnout among healthcare providers is associated with significant negative outcomes, including decreased job satisfaction, professional dropout, increased medical errors, increased risk of suicide, and substance abuse. [5][6][7][8] Emergency medicine (EM) providers typically work in a more stressful environment and risk higher rates of litigation as compared to other healthcare specialists. As a result, they tend to suffer a higher burnout rate and incidences of burnout related outcomes.…”

“…There is a high occurrence of burnout among healthcare providers, including nurses, physicians, pharmacists, residents, and even medical students [ 1 - 4 ]. High burnout among healthcare providers is associated with significant negative outcomes, including decreased job satisfaction, professional dropout, increased medical errors, increased risk of suicide, and substance abuse [ 5 - 8 ]. Emergency medicine (EM) providers typically work in a more stressful environment and risk higher rates of litigation as compared to other healthcare specialists.…”