TY - JOUR

T1 - A cross-sectional national study of burnout and psychosocial work environment in vascular surgery in Denmark

AU - Møller, Cecilie Markvard

AU - Clausen, Thomas

AU - Aust, Birgit

AU - Eiberg, Jonas Peter

N1 - Funding Information: This work was financially supported by the Danish Society of Vascular Surgery . The funding was used to pay for secure and anonymous data storage. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Society for Vascular Surgery

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Objective: Little is known about burnout among European vascular surgeons (VSs). In this study, the prevalence of burnout and its associated risk factors were investigated among all VSs and vascular surgeons in training (VSTs) in Denmark. Methods: An anonymous electronic survey was distributed to all clinical active VSs and VSTs on January 1, 2020. Validated assessment tools were used to measure burnout and aspects of the psychosocial work environment. Results: A total of 104 VSs and VSTs were invited to participate, and 82% (n = 85) completed the survey. The majority of the respondents were male (60%; n = 50) and VSs (67%; n = 61). Of the respondents, 82% (n = 70) reported either light (54%; n = 46), moderate (22%; n = 19), or severe (6%; n = 5) personal burnout. More than 50% (n = 47) reported work-related burnout, light (39%; n = 33), moderate (9%; n = 8), and severe (7%; n = 6), respectively, whereas 35% (n = 30) reported patient-related burnout, light (31%; n = 26), moderate (2%; n = 2), and severe (2%; n = 2), respectively. Respondents with more than four 24-hour on-call shifts per month had significantly higher work-related burnout scores, whereas respondents with home-living children and those aged 45 to 59 years showed significantly higher personal and patient-related burnout, respectively. There were strong associations between personal and work-related burnout and the psychosocial work environment, especially work organization and interpersonal relations, but not job demands. The prevalence of burnout was unevenly distributed across departments, with the most affected department having a burnout occurrence twice the least affected department. Conclusions: Based on a national survey conducted among all clinical active VSs and VSTs in Denmark, more than 80% (n = 70) suffered from burnout, of whom 28% (n = 24) suffered from moderate to severe personal burnout. The strong association with the psychosocial work environment, and the significant differences between departments, suggest that burnout is modifiable through changes in the work environment.

AB - Objective: Little is known about burnout among European vascular surgeons (VSs). In this study, the prevalence of burnout and its associated risk factors were investigated among all VSs and vascular surgeons in training (VSTs) in Denmark. Methods: An anonymous electronic survey was distributed to all clinical active VSs and VSTs on January 1, 2020. Validated assessment tools were used to measure burnout and aspects of the psychosocial work environment. Results: A total of 104 VSs and VSTs were invited to participate, and 82% (n = 85) completed the survey. The majority of the respondents were male (60%; n = 50) and VSs (67%; n = 61). Of the respondents, 82% (n = 70) reported either light (54%; n = 46), moderate (22%; n = 19), or severe (6%; n = 5) personal burnout. More than 50% (n = 47) reported work-related burnout, light (39%; n = 33), moderate (9%; n = 8), and severe (7%; n = 6), respectively, whereas 35% (n = 30) reported patient-related burnout, light (31%; n = 26), moderate (2%; n = 2), and severe (2%; n = 2), respectively. Respondents with more than four 24-hour on-call shifts per month had significantly higher work-related burnout scores, whereas respondents with home-living children and those aged 45 to 59 years showed significantly higher personal and patient-related burnout, respectively. There were strong associations between personal and work-related burnout and the psychosocial work environment, especially work organization and interpersonal relations, but not job demands. The prevalence of burnout was unevenly distributed across departments, with the most affected department having a burnout occurrence twice the least affected department. Conclusions: Based on a national survey conducted among all clinical active VSs and VSTs in Denmark, more than 80% (n = 70) suffered from burnout, of whom 28% (n = 24) suffered from moderate to severe personal burnout. The strong association with the psychosocial work environment, and the significant differences between departments, suggest that burnout is modifiable through changes in the work environment.

KW - Burnout

KW - Copenhagen Burnout Inventory

KW - Psychosocial work environment

KW - Vascular surgeons in training

KW - Vascular surgery

U2 - 10.1016/j.jvs.2021.11.042

DO - 10.1016/j.jvs.2021.11.042

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34788647

AN - SCOPUS:85121121231

VL - 75

SP - 1750-1759.e3

JO - Journal of Vascular Surgery

JF - Journal of Vascular Surgery

SN - 0741-5214

IS - 5

ER -