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Research papers on Physician burnout

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  1. Burnout and Work Engagement: The JD–R Approach

    Arnold B. Bakker, Evangelia Demerouti, Ana Isabel Sanz‐Vergel · 2014 · Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior · 2,432 citations

    Whereas burnout refers to a state of exhaustion and cynicism toward work, engagement is defined as a positive motivational state of vigor, dedication, and absorption. In this article, we discuss the main definitions and conceptualizations of both concepts used in the literature. In addition, we review the most important antecedents of burnout and work engagement by examining situational and individual predictors. We also review the possible consequences of burnout and engagement and integrate the research findings using job demands–resources theory. Although both burnout and work engagement are related to important job-related outcomes, burnout seems to be more strongly related to health out

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  2. Prevalence of Burnout Among Physicians

    Lisa S. Rotenstein, Matthew Torre, Marco A. Ramos, et al. · 2018 · JAMA · 1,920 citations

    Importance: Burnout is a self-reported job-related syndrome increasingly recognized as a critical factor affecting physicians and their patients. An accurate estimate of burnout prevalence among physicians would have important health policy implications, but the overall prevalence is unknown. Objective: To characterize the methods used to assess burnout and provide an estimate of the prevalence of physician burnout. Data Sources and Study Selection: Systematic search of EMBASE, ERIC, MEDLINE/PubMed, psycARTICLES, and psycINFO for studies on the prevalence of burnout in practicing physicians (ie, excluding physicians in training) published before June 1, 2018. Data Extraction and Synthesis: B

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  4. Burnout in nursing: a theoretical review

    Chiara Dall’Ora, Jane Ball, Maria Reinius, et al. · 2020 · Human Resources for Health · 1,158 citations

    BACKGROUND: Workforce studies often identify burnout as a nursing 'outcome'. Yet, burnout itself-what constitutes it, what factors contribute to its development, and what the wider consequences are for individuals, organisations, or their patients-is rarely made explicit. We aimed to provide a comprehensive summary of research that examines theorised relationships between burnout and other variables, in order to determine what is known (and not known) about the causes and consequences of burnout in nursing, and how this relates to theories of burnout. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. We included quantitative primary empirical studies (published in English) which examined a

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  5. Prioritizing the Mental Health and Well-Being of Healthcare Workers: An Urgent Global Public Health Priority

    Lene E. Søvold, John A. Naslund, Antonis A. Kousoulis, et al. · 2021 · Frontiers in Public Health · 985 citations

    The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on health systems in most countries, and in particular, on the mental health and well-being of health workers on the frontlines of pandemic response efforts. The purpose of this article is to provide an evidence-based overview of the adverse mental health impacts on healthcare workers during times of crisis and other challenging working conditions and to highlight the importance of prioritizing and protecting the mental health and well-being of the healthcare workforce, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. First, we provide a broad overview of the elevated risk of stress, burnout, moral injury, depression, trauma, and oth

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  6. RETRACTED: Association Between Physician Burnout and Patient Safety, Professionalism, and Patient Satisfaction

    Maria Panagioti, Keith Geraghty, Judith Johnson, et al. · 2018 · JAMA Internal Medicine · 957 citations

    Importance: Physician burnout has taken the form of an epidemic that may affect core domains of health care delivery, including patient safety, quality of care, and patient satisfaction. However, this evidence has not been systematically quantified. Objective: To examine whether physician burnout is associated with an increased risk of patient safety incidents, suboptimal care outcomes due to low professionalism, and lower patient satisfaction. Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, and CINAHL databases were searched until October 22, 2017, using combinations of the key terms physicians, burnout, and patient care. Detailed standardized searches with no language restriction were undertaken.

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  7. Changes in Burnout and Satisfaction With Work-Life Integration in Physicians and the General US Working Population Between 2011 and 2017

    Tait D. Shanafelt, Colin P. West, Christine A. Sinsky, et al. · 2019 · Mayo Clinic Proceedings · 925 citations

    Objective To evaluate the prevalence of burnout and satisfaction with work-life integration among physicians and other US workers in 2017 compared with 2011 and 2014. Participants and Methods Between October 12, 2017, and March 15, 2018, we surveyed US physicians and a probability-based sample of the US working population using methods similar to our 2011 and 2014 studies. A secondary survey with intensive follow-up was conducted in a sample of nonresponders to evaluate response bias. Burnout and work-life integration were measured using standard tools. Results Of 30,456 physicians who received an invitation to participate, 5197 (17.1%) completed surveys. Among the 476 physicians in the seco

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  8. Burnout in Healthcare Workers: Prevalence, Impact and Preventative Strategies

    Stefan De Hert · 2020 · Local and Regional Anesthesia · 696 citations

    Abstract: Approximately, one in three physicians is experiencing burnout at any given time. This may not only interfere with own wellbeing but also with the quality of delivered care. This narrative review discusses several aspects of the burnout syndrome: prevalence, symptoms, etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, impact, and strategies on how to deal with the problem. Keywords: burnout, healthcare worker, prevalence, impact, symptoms, prevention

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  9. The Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Worker Wellness: A Scoping Review

    Jacob Shreffler, Martin Huecker, Jessica Petrey · 2020 · Western Journal of Emergency Medicine · 637 citations

    At the heart of the unparalleled crisis of COVID-19, healthcare workers (HCWs) face several challenges treating patients with COVID-19: reducing the spread of infection; developing suitable short-term strategies; and formulating long-term plans. The psychological burden and overall wellness of HCWs has received heightened awareness in news and research publications. The purpose of this study was to provide a review on current publications measuring the effects of COVID-19 on wellness of healthcare providers to inform interventional strategies. Between April 6-May 17, 2020, we conducted systematic searches using combinations of these keywords and synonyms in conjunction with the controlled vo

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  10. Workplace interventions to improve well-being and reduce burnout for nurses, physicians and allied healthcare professionals: a systematic review

    Catherine Cohen, Silvia Pignata, Eva Bezak, et al. · 2023 · BMJ Open · 478 citations

    There is a growing need for interventions to improve well-being in healthcare workers, particularly since the onset of COVID-19. OBJECTIVES: To synthesise evidence since 2015 on the impact of interventions designed to address well-being and burnout in physicians, nurses and allied healthcare professionals. DESIGN: Systematic literature review. DATA SOURCES: Medline, Embase, Emcare, CINAHL, PsycInfo and Google Scholar were searched in May-October 2022. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Studies that primarily investigated burnout and/or well-being and reported quantifiable preintervention and postintervention outcomes using validated well-being measures were included. DATA EXTRACTION

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  11. The Impact of COVID-19 on Physician Burnout Globally: A Review

    Shabbir Amanullah, Rashmi Ramesh Shankar · 2020 · Healthcare · 200 citations

    Background: The current pandemic, COVID-19, has added to the already high levels of stress that medical professionals face globally. While most health professionals have had to shoulder the burden, physicians are not often recognized as being vulnerable and hence little attention is paid to morbidity and mortality within this group. Objective: To analyse and summarise the current knowledge on factors/potential factors contributing to burnout amongst healthcare professionals amidst the pandemic. This review also makes a few recommendations on how best to prepare intervention programmes for physicians. Methods: In August 2020, a systematic review was performed using the database Medline and Em

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  15. Burnout Among Healthcare Workers: Insights for Holistic Well-Being

    Carina Fernandes, Carla Barros, Pilar Baylina · 2025 · Healthcare · 11 citations

    Background/Objectives: In the healthcare sector, burnout has become a critical concern due to high job demands and emotional strain. The main objective of the study is to examine the predictive role of psychosocial work-related risks in the development of burnout. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, using a snowball recruitment method, from May to September 2025, among 154 healthcare workers. Data were collected using the psychosocial risk factors scale (INSAT_ERPS) and the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze the predictive role of the psychosocial risk on burnout dimensions. Results: Psychosocial risk factors are cons

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  17. The Mental Wellbeing of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Workers in England: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study Reporting Levels of Burnout, Wellbeing and Job Satisfaction

    Silvana Mareva, Beth Chapman, Rebecca Hardwick, et al. · 2024 · Healthcare · 8 citations

    In the UK, there has been a notable increase in referrals to specialist children’s mental health services. This, coupled with shortages of qualified staff, has raised concerns about the escalating occupational stress experienced by staff in this sector. In this brief report, we present cross-sectional quantitative data from 97 staff members working in one Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in the UK during spring 2023, reporting on their wellbeing, job satisfaction, and burnout. Our findings reveal that over a third of CAMHS staff experienced moderate or high levels of work-related burnout; 39% reported moderate or high levels of personal burnout, but levels of client-related

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  19. How COVID-19 changed frontline healthcare workers’ experiences: A narrative inquiry into the impact of chronic burnout on a surgical physician assistant’s wellness

    Lihua Dishman, Rhionna J. Smith · 2023 · Patient Experience Journal · 1 citations

    Burnout is an occupational phenomenon resulting from unmanaged chronic workplace stress. Since COVID-19 started, burnout among healthcare workers has worsened and become a public health crisis. Wellness is about leading a physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy lifestyle to achieve one’s full potential through positive affirmations. Its multiple dimensions include (1) physical, (2) emotional, (3) intellectual, (4) occupational, (5) social, and (6) spiritual. Extant empirical literature lacked regarding surgical physician assistants and how chronic burnout affected their wellness. This longitudinal narrative inquiry thus aimed to explore the perceived impact of a surgical physician assi

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  20. As Consequências Do Burnout Nos Trabalhadores Da Área De Saúde Durante E Pós-Pandemia

    Letícia Mariane Silva, Maria Cristina Durante · 2026 · RCMOS - Revista Científica Multidisciplinar O Saber

    Burnout is a syndrome characterized by a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion resulting from chronic stress, especially in the workplace. It has three main pillars: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low professional accomplishment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this condition intensified, particularly among healthcare professionals working on the front lines. These workers faced work overload, prolonged hours, resource scarcity, a high risk of infection, and intense emotional pressure. The fear of exposure to the virus, social distancing, and uncertainty in the face of a critical scenario significantly contributed to the worsening of psychological suffering. As a co

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  21. Patient Burnout and Healthcare Delivery

    Anubhav Kaul · 2024 · Physician Leadership Journal

    Burnout is a psychological syndrome triggered by relentless stress caused by any aspect of one’s social, behavioral, and physical health. Patients with chronic healthcare needs are susceptible to prolonged stress, which can lead to burnout and negative health outcomes. Risk factors of patient burnout include ineffective interventions, overuse of low-value care, and mitigation of patient autonomy.

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  22. Well-being and Generative Concern as Predictors of Physician Burnout

    M. Cristina Lamas, Marcela A. Ortega, Pablo G. Sanz · 2026 · Revista de Psicopatología y Psicología Clínica

    Introduction: This study analyzed the relationship between well-being, generative concern, and physician burnout, investigating whether the former two can predict the latter. Method: An observational, correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 physicians. Sociodemographic data and scales for well-being, generative concern, and burnout were employed. Results: 19% of participants experienced burnout; 74% were at risk of contracting it. Significant positive correlations were found between well-being and personal accomplishment (MBI), well-being and generative concern, significant negative correlations between burnout and well-being, and between burnout and generative concern. Reg

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