Physician's Burnout and the Covid-19 Pandemic—A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study in Austria

Bibliographic Data

ID15527808
AuthorsIlsemarie Kurzthaler, Georg Kemmler (Innsbruck Medical University), Bernhard Holzner (0000-0002-3389-3621, Innsbruck Medical University), Alex Hofer (0000-0002-5834-4258, Innsbruck Medical University)
Year2021
Volume12
Pages784131-784131
Publication date2021-12-07
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1664-0640 • E-ISSN: 1664-0640
PublisherFrontiers Media (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpsyt.2021.784131
PMID34950073
OpenAlexW4200497504
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited27

Background: The current study assesses the prevalence of burnout and psychological distress among general practitioners and physicians of various specialities, who are not working in a hospital, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally in this context, contributing factors are registered. Materials and Methods: Burnout and psychological distress were assessed with the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18). A newly developed self-reporting questionnaire was used to evaluate demographic data and pandemic-associated stress factors. Results: 252 general practitioners and 229 private practice physicians provided sufficient responses to the outcome variables for analysis. The prevalence of clinically relevant psychological distress was comparable between groups (12.4 vs. 9.2%). A larger proportion of general practitioners than specialists had intermediate (43.8 vs. 39.9%) or high burnout (26.9 vs. 22.0%) without reaching statistical significance for either category. When combining study participants with intermediate and high levels of burnout, the group difference attained significance (70.7 % vs. 61.9%). Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence that practicing physicians are at high risk of burnout in the context of the pandemic. Being single (standardized beta = 0.134), financial problems (beta = 0.136), and facing violence in patient care (beta = 0.135) were identified as significant predictors for psychological distress. Burnout was predicted by being single (beta = 0.112), financial problems (beta= 0.136), facing violence in patient care (beta = 0.093), stigmatization because of treatment of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients (beta = 0.150), and longer working hours during the pandemic (beta = 0.098)

Burnout · Context (archaeology · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Cross-sectional study · Disease · Distress · Family medicine · Pandemic · Psychiatry · Clinical Psychology · COVID-19 and healthcare impacts · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout · Medicine · Internal Medicine

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