Cross-sectional survey on physician burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic in Vancouver, Canada: the role of gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation.
BMJ Open
; 11(5): e050380, 2021 05 10.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1223611
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the prevalence of physician burnout during the pandemic and differences by gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. DESIGN, SETTING ANDPARTICIPANTS:
We conducted a cross-sectional survey (August-October in 2020) of internal medicine physicians at two academic hospitals in Vancouver, Canada. PRIMARY AND SECONDARYOUTCOMES:
Physician burnout and its components, emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment were measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory.RESULTS:
The response rate was 38% (n=302/803 respondents, 49% women,). The prevalence of burnout was 68% (emotional exhaustion 63%, depersonalisation 39%) and feeling low personal accomplishment 22%. In addition, 21% reported that they were considering quitting the profession or had quit a position. Women were more likely to report emotional exhaustion (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.07 to 3.73, p=0.03) and feeling low personal accomplishment (OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.09 to 4.70, p=0.03) than men. Visible ethnic minority physicians were more likely to report feeling lower personal accomplishment than white physicians (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.55, p=0.001). There was no difference in emotional exhaustion or depersonalisation by ethnicity or sexual orientation. Physicians who reported that COVID-19 affected their burnout were more likely to report any burnout (OR 3.74, 95% CI 1.99 to 7.01, p<0.001) and consideration of quitting or quit (OR 3.20, 95% CI 1.34 to 7.66, p=0.009).CONCLUSION:
Burnout affects 2 out of 3 internal medicine physicians during the pandemic. Women, ethnic minority physicians and those who feel that COVID-19 affects burnout were more likely to report components of burnout. Further understanding of factors driving feelings of low personal accomplishment in women and ethnic minority physicians is needed.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Physicians
/
Burnout, Professional
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
BMJ Open
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Bmjopen-2021-050380
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS