Burnout among surgeons and surgical trainees: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and associated factors

Abstract

Introduction: The more effort is put into work, the greater the chances of burnout. This is common among surgical personnel. We carried out this review study to determine the overall and per-specialty prevalence of burnout, and to identify the factors that affect burnout positively and negatively. Methods: All full-text articles reporting data related to burnout in surgery and surgical subspecialties using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were included. The following bibliographic databases were searched PubMed, Embase and Google Scholar (First 500 pages). We extracted data on the characteristics of the articles including the burnout prevalence and factors. Results: 27 articles met the criteria. The studies involved 8617 surgeons cutting acrossvarious surgical specialties. The overall prevalence was 47%. The rate per specialty ranged between 15% and 77% with Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeons having the highest rates. Associated factors included work-related issues and poor work/life balance while protective factors included career advancement, increase in postgraduate years, and having good relationships with co-residents. Our findings are similar to findings from other studies; ENT is seen to have the highest burnout rate while pediatric surgery the lowest. Conclusion: The high prevalence of burnout among surgeons is concerning and the identified factors responsible should be explored by surgeons, hospital management boards, training colleges, and all bodies concerned to see how it can be reduced.

Keywords

• Burnout
• Surgery
• Prevalence
• Systematic review
• Surgical trainees