Burnout syndrome prevalence between young doctors of Targu Mures

Abstract

Introduction. The burnout syndrome (BS) is considered according to the World Health Organization to be a mixture of energy depletion, increased mental distance from one’s job and a reduced professional efficacy. According to S. Brand and E. Holsboer-Trachsler, BS is more likely to affect individuals from professions that require a higher degree of responsibility and frequent human interactions, therefore placing doctors in a high-risk category. Aim of the study. The aim of this study was to asses if young doctors are exposed to BS in their residency and to determine their levels of BS Materials and methods. Using an anonymous questionnaire based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory that comprised a number of 25 questions directed in 3 dimensions, we recorded 60 entries from doctors found in their residency. Each one of the 3 directions (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and professional realizations) delivered a score that was later summed up and compared to preset results. The scores were interpreted as following: 0-25 points resulted in an equilibrium at the workplace; 25-50 – prone to develop BS; 50-75 – on course to develop BS; >75 – BS. Using descriptive statistics and a one-way Anova test we managed to determine some interesting results. Results. Out of the young residents from the nine medical departments that contributed to this study, the ones from 8 of them displayed BS, while the remaining were on course to develop BS, the average score being 78.37 out of 100. Out of the 9 medical departments, the residents from the occupational medicine department displayed the highest levels of BS with a value of 82.08. Conclusions. The BS is a serious disorder that threatens the medical system here in Targu Mures, making young residents prone to errors and therefore placing patients at risk. Furthermore, by placing this actual study next to a similars ones from Romania, it can be observed that the BS is common through the whole Romanian medical system meaning that national measures to treat and prevent this syndrome are in order.