TY - JOUR
T1 - High incidence of burnout in academic chairpersons of anesthesiology
T2 - Should we be taking better care of our leaders?
AU - De Oliveira, Gildàsio S.
AU - Ahmad, Shireen
AU - Stock, M. Christine
AU - Harter, Ronald L.
AU - Almeida, Marcela D.
AU - Fitzgerald, Paul C.
AU - McCarthy, Robert J.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2011 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2011/1
Y1 - 2011/1
N2 - Background: Burnout is a work-related psychologic syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, low personal accomplishment, and depersonalization. Methods: By using an instrument that included the MBI-HHS Burnout Inventory, we surveyed academic anesthesiology chairpersons in the United States. Current level of job satisfaction compared with 1 and 5 yr before the survey, likelihood of stepping down as chair in the next 2 yr, and a high risk of burnout were the primary outcomes. Results: Of the 117 chairs surveyed, 102 (87%) responded. Nine surveys had insufficient responses for assessment of burnout. Of 93 chairs, 32 (34%) reported high current job satisfaction, which represented a significant decline compared with that reported for 1 yr (P = 0.009) and 5 yr (P = 0.001) before the survey. Of 93 chairs, 26 (28%) reported extreme likelihood of stepping down as a chair in 1-2 yr. There was no association of age (P = 0.16), sex (P = 0.82), or self-reported effectiveness (P = 0.63) with anticipated likelihood of stepping down, but there was a negative association between the modified efficacy scale scoρrgr; = -0.303, P = 0.003) and likelihood of stepping down. Of 93 chairs, 26 (28%) met the criteria for high burnout and an additional 29 (31%) met the criteria for moderately high burnout. Decreased current job satisfaction and low self-reported spousal/significant other support were independent predictors of high burnout risk. Conclusion: Fifty-one percent of academic anesthesiology chairs exhibit a high incidence/risk of burnout. Age, sex, time as a chair, hours worked, and perceived effectiveness were not associated with high burnout; however, low job satisfaction and reduced self-reported spousal/significant other support significantly increased the risk.
AB - Background: Burnout is a work-related psychologic syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, low personal accomplishment, and depersonalization. Methods: By using an instrument that included the MBI-HHS Burnout Inventory, we surveyed academic anesthesiology chairpersons in the United States. Current level of job satisfaction compared with 1 and 5 yr before the survey, likelihood of stepping down as chair in the next 2 yr, and a high risk of burnout were the primary outcomes. Results: Of the 117 chairs surveyed, 102 (87%) responded. Nine surveys had insufficient responses for assessment of burnout. Of 93 chairs, 32 (34%) reported high current job satisfaction, which represented a significant decline compared with that reported for 1 yr (P = 0.009) and 5 yr (P = 0.001) before the survey. Of 93 chairs, 26 (28%) reported extreme likelihood of stepping down as a chair in 1-2 yr. There was no association of age (P = 0.16), sex (P = 0.82), or self-reported effectiveness (P = 0.63) with anticipated likelihood of stepping down, but there was a negative association between the modified efficacy scale scoρrgr; = -0.303, P = 0.003) and likelihood of stepping down. Of 93 chairs, 26 (28%) met the criteria for high burnout and an additional 29 (31%) met the criteria for moderately high burnout. Decreased current job satisfaction and low self-reported spousal/significant other support were independent predictors of high burnout risk. Conclusion: Fifty-one percent of academic anesthesiology chairs exhibit a high incidence/risk of burnout. Age, sex, time as a chair, hours worked, and perceived effectiveness were not associated with high burnout; however, low job satisfaction and reduced self-reported spousal/significant other support significantly increased the risk.
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U2 - 10.1097/ALN.0b013e318201cf6c
DO - 10.1097/ALN.0b013e318201cf6c
M3 - Article
C2 - 21178674
AN - SCOPUS:78650682172
SN - 0003-3022
VL - 114
SP - 181
EP - 193
JO - Anesthesiology
JF - Anesthesiology
IS - 1
ER -