Relationship between Effort-reward Imbalance and Job Burnout among Primary Healthcare Workers

Abstract

Background Currently, primary healthcare staff are under high pressure and prone to effort-reward imbalance and burnout, which hinders the development of primary health services and has not been sufficiently emphasized. Objective To study the situation of effort-reward imbalance and burnout among primary healthcare workers, and explore the relationship between the two, so as to provide reference for improving burnout among primary healthcare workers. Methods Primary healthcare workers from primary healthcare institutions (including community health service institutions and township health centers) in 4 streets and 28 townships in Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, were selected for the survey from March to May 2022 using the convenience sampling method. The questionnaire included general information, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) and the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) . With MBI-GS score as the dependent variable, the effort-reward ratio and degree of overload in the effort-reward imbalance model as the independent variables, stratified regression analysis was used to explore the effects of the effort-reward imbalance model on burnout. Results A total of 347 primary healthcare workers were included, the total score of MBI-GS for primary healthcare workers was (3.72±1.25) . Of the 347 primary healthcare workers, 93.4% were burnout, 76.7% were in effort-reward imbalance, and 35.2% were under a heavy workload. The total MBI-GS score of primary healthcare workers in effort-reward imbalance was higher than those in effort-reward balance (t=-5.20, P<0.001) ; the total MBI-GS score of primary healthcare workers under heavy workload was higher than those under normal or low workload (t=8.08, P<0.001) . The results of multivariate regression analysis showed positive predictive effects of effort-reward imbalance and heavy workload on burnout (b=0.414, 0.109, P<0.05) . Conclusion The condition of effort-reward imbalance is serious and job burnout is common among primary healthcare workers. The effort-reward imbalance model positively predicts burnout, it is recommended to reduce the workload of primary healthcare workers, improve their work reward and emphasize their psychological health.

Keywords

• medical staff, hospital|burnout, psychological|primary healthcare staff|effort-reward imbalance|job burnout|mental health