Research

The prevalence of burnout among registrars in the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

C Zeijlemaker, S Moosa

Abstract


Background. Burnout is a response to prolonged stress and consists of three elements: emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP), and feelings of personal accomplishment (PA). The existence of burnout in doctors is often not acknowledged but has major consequences for personal and professional life. Only limited research has been done on the prevalence of burnout among registrars in South Africa (SA).

Objectives. To describe the prevalence of burnout in a cohort of SA registrars, and assess relationships between burnout and sociodemographic factors.

Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive internet survey was conducted. Respondents were registrars in departments of the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, SA. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used to measure burnout. Relationships were assessed by the independent-samples t-test and analysis of variance.

Results. A total of 585 emails were delivered to registrars, of whom 201 started the survey (response rate 34%); 170 questionnaires were analysed. The mean age of the respondents was 33 years, and the male/female ratio was 1:1.8. The mean (standard deviation) score for EE was 3.5 (1.2), for DP 2.7 (1.1) and for PA 4.1 (1.1). The overall level of burnout was 84%. None of the respondents scored low over all categories. No significant association between sociodemographics (age, sex, discipline, year in the programme and experience) and MBI dimensions was found.

Conclusions. The prevalence of burnout in this study was higher than that reported in the national and international literature. Levels of DP were extremely high and are worrying, as DP affects professionalism and engagement of doctors. In keeping with the literature, no associations were found between sociodemographic factors and burnout, suggesting that the cause of burnout should be sought in the work environment. Efforts to improve autonomy in the workplace, development opportunities and promoting peer collaboration are needed to prevent burnout.


Authors' affiliations

C Zeijlemaker, Division of Family Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

S Moosa, Division of Family Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

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Keywords

Burnout; Registrars; Prevalence; South Africa

Cite this article

South African Medical Journal 2019;109(9):668-672. DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2019.v109i9.13667

Article History

Date submitted: 2019-08-28
Date published: 2019-08-28

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