R. Goldberg et al., BURNOUT AND ITS CORRELATES IN EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS - 4 YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH A WELLNESS BOTH, Academic emergency medicine, 3(12), 1996, pp. 1156-1164
Objective: To measure the degree of burnout among emergency physicians
(EPs) and to identify and rank predictive factors. Methods: Using the
Maslach Burnout Inventory as well as a 79-item questionnaire, a cross
-sectional survey was conducted for physician registrants at the Annua
l Scientific Assemblies of the American College of Emergency Physician
s from 1992 to 1995. Degrees of burnout were stratified into low, mode
rate, and high ranges. Univariate and stepwise multiple regression ana
lyses were conducted to identify and rank correlates to burnout scores
. Results: Of 1,272 registrants taking the inventory, 60% registered i
n the moderate to high burnout ranges. Twenty-one correlates were iden
tified. These were classified broadly in terms of negative perceptions
of self, negative practice habits and attitudes, and unhealthy lifest
yles. The most highly ranked correlates were: self-recognition of burn
out, lack of job involvement, negative self-assessment of productivity
, dissatisfaction with career, sleep disturbances, increased number of
shifts per month, dissatisfaction with specialty services, intent to
leave the practice within 10 years, higher levels of alcohol consumpti
on, and lower levels of exercise. Age and years of practice were not s
ignificant predictors of burnout. Projected attrition rates were 7.5%
over 5 years and 25% over 10 years. Conclusions: Elevated levels of bu
rnout exist among a substantial percentage of surveyed EPs. However, t
here is evidence for a ''survivor'' category of practitioners for whom
burnout either does not develop or is a reversible process. The proje
cted attrition rate over 5 and 10 years appears to be no greater than
that of the average medical specialty.