Greta Styraitė¹, Jūratė Pečeliūnienė², Irena Žukauskaitė³, Antanas Norkus⁴

¹ Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine

² Clinic of Internal Diseases, Family Medicine and Oncology, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine

³ Vilnius University Faculty of Philosophy

⁴ Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Medical Academy, the Institute of Endocrinology

 

Abstract 

Background and aim: burnout is a significant problem among general practitioners. Physicians’ lifestyle has an important role for their general health. The aim of the study was to assess relationship between general practitioners’ burnout, its components, lifestyle and wellbeing.

Materials and methods: 101 general practitioners took part in the cross-sectional study. Participants filled out questionnaire consisting of: 1. Shirom-Melamed burnout measure (physical fatigue, emotional exhaustion and cognitive weariness scales – maximum possible score 7); 2. questions about physical activity, eating habits, alcohol usage, smoking habits; 3. 10-point Likert type scales about subjective assessment of life quality, job satisfaction, satisfaction with work atmosphere.  For comparison of groups, chi‑squared    test (χ²) and ANOVA were applied, Pearson’s correlations were calculated.

Results: Higher physical fatigue (M = 4.00, p=.004) and cognitive weariness (M = 2.93, p=.011) were among general practitioners’ who reported having their meals irregularly. Higher general burnout (M = 3.29, p<.001), physical fatigue (M = 3.91, p=.015), cognitive weariness (M = 3.00, p=.001) and emotional exhaustion (M = 2.52 p<.001) were found for those who reported experiencing overeating. General burnout, physical fatigue, cognitive weariness and emotional exhaustion had significant negative correlations with job satisfaction (r = -.531, p<.001; r = ‑.560, p<.00; r=‑.372, p<.00; r = ‑.342, p=.010, accordingly) and satisfaction with work atmosphere (r=‑.379, p<.00; r = -.42, p<.001; r = -.238, p=.017; r = -.245, p=.014, accordingly). General burnout, physical fatigue and cognitive weariness had significant negative correlations with subjective assessment of life quality (r = ‑.344, p<.001; r = .402, p<.001; r = ‑.218, p=.029, accordingly).

Conclusion: burnout syndrome and its components were associated with irregular diet and overeating, job satisfaction, satisfaction with work atmosphere, subjective assessment of life quality in general practitioners’ population.

Keywords: burnout syndrome; general burnout; physical fatigue; cognitive weariness; emotional exhaustion; general practitioner; job satisfaction; life quality; lifestyle; wellbeing