A Multicenter Study Investigating Empathy and Burnout Characteristics in Medical Residents with Various Specialties
Journal of Korean Medical Science
; : 590-597, 2016.
Article
in En
| WPRIM
| ID: wpr-58422
Responsible library:
WPRO
ABSTRACT
We assessed empathy in medical residents, including factors modifying empathy and the relationship between empathy and burnout. Participants (n = 317 residents, response rate = 42%) from 4 university hospitals completed a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (Health Professional version, Korean edition), and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Participants were classified by medical specialty: “people-oriented specialty” (POS group) or “technology-oriented specialty” (TOS group), with more women in the POS than in the TOS group, χ2 = 14.12, P < 0.001. Being female, married, and having children were factors related to higher empathy (gender, t = -2.129, P = 0.034; marriage, t = -2.078, P = 0.038; children, t = 2.86, P = 0.005). Within specialty group, POS residents showed higher empathy scores in the fourth as compared to the first year, F = 3.166, P = 0.026. Comparing POS and TOS groups by year, fourth year POS residents had significantly higher scores than did fourth year TOS residents, t = 3.349, P = 0.002. There were negative correlations between empathy scores and 2 MBI subscales, emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalization (DP). Additionally, first year POS residents had higher DP scores than did first year TOS residents, t = 2.183, P = 0.031. We suggest that factors important for empathy are type of medical specialty, marriage, siblings, and children. Burnout state may be related to decreasing empathy.
Key words
Full text:
1
Index:
WPRIM
Main subject:
Physicians
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Burnout, Professional
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Marriage
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Child Rearing
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Sex Factors
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Demography
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Surveys and Questionnaires
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Depersonalization
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Empathy
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Hospitals, University
Type of study:
Clinical_trials
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Prognostic_studies
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Qualitative_research
Limits:
Adult
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Child
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Female
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Humans
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Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Journal of Korean Medical Science
Year:
2016
Type:
Article