Burnout and Satisfaction With Work-Life Balance Among US Physicians Relative to the General US Population

Bibliographic Data

ID23330385
AuthorsTait D Shanafelt (0000-0002-7106-5202, Mayo Clinic), Sonja Boone (American Medical Association), Litjen Tan (0000-0001-9054-6696, American Medical Association), Liselotte N Dyrbye (0000-0002-7820-704X), Lotte N Dyrbye, Wayne M Sotile (Tulane University), Wayne Sotile, Daniel Satele (0000-0003-0795-714X, Mayo Clinic), Colin P West (0000-0003-1628-5023, General Department of Preventive Medicine), Jeff Sloan, Jeff A Sloan (0000-0002-3393-2387), Michael R Oreskovich (University of Washington)
Year2012
Volume172
Issue18
Pages1377
Publication date2012-10-08
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueA.M.A. Archives of Internal Medicine (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0888-2479 • E-ISSN: 0730-188X
PublisherAmerican Medical Association (AMA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3199
PMID22911330
OpenAlexW2119200560
LanguageEN
Citations received195
References cited14

BACKGROUND: Despite extensive data about physician burnout, to our knowledge, no national study has evaluated rates of burnout among US physicians, explored differences by specialty, or compared physicians with US workers in other fields. METHODS: We conducted a national study of burnout in a large sample of US physicians from all specialty disciplines using the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile and surveyed a probability-based sample of the general US population for comparison. Burnout was measured using validated instruments. Satisfaction with work-life balance was explored. RESULTS: Of 27 276 physicians who received an invitation to participate, 7288 (26.7%) completed surveys. When assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, 45.8% of physicians reported at least 1 symptom of burnout. Substantial differences in burnout were observed by specialty, with the highest rates among physicians at the front line of care access (family medicine, general internal medicine, and emergency medicine). Compared with a probability-based sample of 3442 working US adults, physicians were more likely to have symptoms of burnout (37.9% vs 27.8%) and to be dissatisfied with work-life balance (40.2% vs 23.2%) (P < .001 for both). Highest level of education completed also related to burnout in a pooled multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, relationship status, and hours worked per week. Compared with high school graduates, individuals with an MD or DO degree were at increased risk for burnout (odds ratio [OR], 1.36; P < .001), whereas individuals with a bachelor's degree (OR, 0.80; P = .048), master's degree (OR, 0.71; P = .01), or professional or doctoral degree other than an MD or DO degree (OR, 0.64; P = .04) were at lower risk for burnout. CONCLUSIONS: Burnout is more common among physicians than among other US workers. Physicians in specialties at the front line of care access seem to be at greatest risk.

Burnout · Environmental health · Family medicine · Job satisfaction · Population · Specialty · Clinical Psychology · Demography · Diversity and Career in Medicine · Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology · Stress and Burnout Research · Gerontology