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Burnout syndrome: are stroke neurologists at a higher risk?

Síndrome de Burnout: neurologistas vasculares apresentam maior risco?

ABSTRACT

Background:

Burnout syndrome is a work-related psychological response, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and low professional accomplishment.

Objective:

The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of burnout syndrome in neurologists in the State of Paraná, Brazil, dividing them into stroke neurologists and non-stroke neurologists.

Methods:

We performed a crosssectional observational study, with a quantitative approach, based on the online Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey questionnaire.

Results:

A total of 74 neurologists were evaluated, 44.6% of whom had burnout syndrome, predominantly among females and stroke neurologists. Both the stroke neurologist and non-stroke neurologist groups had medium degrees of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization; however, while stroke neurologists had high professional accomplishment, non-stroke neurologists had mean-to-low scores of professional accomplishment. There was a proportional relationship between age and emotional exhaustion. Female neurologists also reported lower professional accomplishment levels.

Conclusion:

Burnout is prevalent among the neurologists of Paraná, corroborating the results previously reported in other studies. There seems to be no significant difference between those neurologists who work in the emergency stroke care setting compared with those who don't.

Keywords:
Burnout, professional; neurology; occupational stress; job satisfaction

RESUMO

Introdução:

A síndrome de burnout é uma resposta psicológica relacionada à profissão, caracterizada por exaustão emocional, despersonalização e redução da realização pessoal.

Objetivos:

Objetivamos avaliar a prevalência da síndrome de burnout em neurologistas do Paraná, distribuindo a atuação entre neurologistas vasculares e não-vasculares.

Métodos:

Estudo observacional, transversal, com abordagem quantitativa, realizado a partir do questionário online autoaplicável Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey.

Resultados:

74 neurologistas foram avaliados, desses 44.6% apresentaram critérios para síndrome de burnout, predominando entre mulheres e stroke neurologists. Ambos os grupos apresentaram médios graus de exaustão emocional e despersonalização. Enquanto os neurologistas vasculares apresentaram alto grau de realização pessoal, os não-vasculares apresentaram médio grau. Houve relação proporcional entre idade e exaustão emocional. Neurologistas do gênero feminino mostraram menores níveis de realização pessoal.

Conclusão:

A síndrome de burnout é frequente nos neurologistas do Paraná, compatível com a literatura que sugere a especialidade como uma das mais susceptíveis. Não obtivemos contudo, diferenças entre os neurologistas que lidam ou não com a emergência vascular.

Palavras-chave:
Esgotamento profissional; neurologia; estresse ocupacional; satisfação no emprego

Burnout syndrome was initially described as a psychological illness secondary to professional stress, especially in work conditions involving significant interpersonal relationships11. Tironi MO, Teles JM, Barros DS, Vieira DF, Silva Filho CM, Martins Júnior DF, et al. Prevalence of burnout syndrome in intensivist doctors in five Brazilian capitals. Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2016 Sep;28(3):270-7.,22. Moss M, Good VS, Gozal D, Kleinpell R, Sessler CN. An Official Critical Care Societies Collaborative Statement: Burnout syndrome in critical care healthcare professionals: a call for action. Crit Care Med. 2016 Jul;44(7):1414-21. https://doi.org/10.1097/CCM.0000000000001885
https://doi.org/10.1097/CCM.000000000000...
. Although the practice of medicine can be important and individually rewarding, the demand for responsibility and stress levels are considered high. In general, medical doctors are more likely than other professions to have to deal with situations of suffering, pain and death. It has also been observed that physicians have a heavier workload than other professionals, and it is more difficult to integrate work life with other areas33. Shanafelt TD, Boone S, Tan L, Dyrbye LN, Sotile W, Satele D, et al. Burnout and satisfaction with work-life balance among US physicians relative to the general US population. Arch Intern Med. 2012 Oct;172(18):1377-85. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3199
https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.20...
.

Results from several studies suggest that many physicians experience burnout syndrome, which is characterized by loss of interest and enthusiasm for the practice (emotional exhaustion), feelings of cynicism and detachment from patients (depersonalization) and a feeling of career dissatisfaction, with a decrease in self-esteem and reduction of professional accomplishments (professional accomplishment)11. Tironi MO, Teles JM, Barros DS, Vieira DF, Silva Filho CM, Martins Júnior DF, et al. Prevalence of burnout syndrome in intensivist doctors in five Brazilian capitals. Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2016 Sep;28(3):270-7.. Findings from recent studies suggest that burnout syndrome can impair professionalism and influence the quality of care, increasing the risk of medical errors, and even resulting in career withdrawal44. Haas JS, Cook EF, Puopolo AL, Burstin HR, Cleary PD, Brennan TA. Is the professional satisfaction of general internists associated with patient satisfaction? J Gen Intern Med. 2000 Feb;15(2):122-8. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2000.02219.x
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. Some adverse professional consequences may also be related to relationship breakdown, problematic alcohol and drug abuse and suicidal ideation55. Benevides-Pereira AM. Burnout: quando o trabalho ameaça o bem-estar do trabalhador. São Paulo: Casa do Psicólogo; 2002..

The prevalence of burnout syndrome can vary according to the different medical specialties, as well as the career stage (length of time in the activity) of an individual33. Shanafelt TD, Boone S, Tan L, Dyrbye LN, Sotile W, Satele D, et al. Burnout and satisfaction with work-life balance among US physicians relative to the general US population. Arch Intern Med. 2012 Oct;172(18):1377-85. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3199
https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.20...
. Neurology is one of the few specialties with both high rates of burnout syndrome and low satisfaction with work-life balance, according to Busis et al66. Busis NA, Shanafelt TD, Keran CM, Levin KH, Schwarz HB, Molano JR, et al. Burnout, career satisfaction, and well-being among US neurologists in 2016. Neurology. 2017 Feb;88(8):797-808. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000003640
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. Newly-trained physicians have lower professional accomplishment and higher levels of depersonalization, as the limited amount of experience results in difficulties in dealing with stress77. Dyrbye LN, Varkey P, Boone SL, Satele DV, Sloan JA, Shanafelt TD. Physician satisfaction and burnout at different career stages. Mayo Clin Proc. 2013 Dec;88(12):1358-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.07.016
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,88. Marôco J, Marôco AL, Leite E, Bastos C, Vazão MJ, Campos J. [Burnout in Portuguese healthcare professionals: an analysis at the national level]. Acta Med Port. 2016 Jan;29(1):24-30. Portuguese.. Physicians who are in the challenging mid-career stage are generally more satisfied and have lower stress levels. Differences among specialties have been evidenced in several studies77. Dyrbye LN, Varkey P, Boone SL, Satele DV, Sloan JA, Shanafelt TD. Physician satisfaction and burnout at different career stages. Mayo Clin Proc. 2013 Dec;88(12):1358-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.07.016
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,99. Aldrees TM, Aleissa S, Zamakhshary M, Badri M, Sadat-Ali M. Physician well-being: prevalence of burnout and associated risk factors in a tertiary hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ann Saudi Med. 2013 Sep-Oct;33(5):451-6. https://doi.org/10.5144/0256-4947.2013.451
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,1010. Fritzen SA, Seo B, Hladkyj S, Lovell BL, Schwartzmann L, Buchan J, et al. Strategic management of the health workforce in developing countries: what have we learned? Hum Resour Health. 2007 Feb;5:4. https://doi.org/10.1186/1478-4491-5-4
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. An American nationwide survey of 7,288 physicians found that 45.8% of respondents exhibited at least one burnout symptom, with neurology ranking third among several specialties, after emergency medicine and general internal medicine66. Busis NA, Shanafelt TD, Keran CM, Levin KH, Schwarz HB, Molano JR, et al. Burnout, career satisfaction, and well-being among US neurologists in 2016. Neurology. 2017 Feb;88(8):797-808. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000003640
https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.000000000000...
. Over 50% of neurologists exhibited at least one burnout symptom33. Shanafelt TD, Boone S, Tan L, Dyrbye LN, Sotile W, Satele D, et al. Burnout and satisfaction with work-life balance among US physicians relative to the general US population. Arch Intern Med. 2012 Oct;172(18):1377-85. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3199
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,1111. Maslach C, Jackson S, Leiter M. Maslach Burnout inventory manual. 3rd ed. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press; 1996. p. 191-218.. We found only one study with Brazilian neurologists conducted in the State of Rio de Janeiro that showed a high prevalence in 60.6% of the participants1212. Carvalho RS, Alvarenga RM, Ferry FR, Lacativa MC. Burnout Syndrome and satisfaction with life among neurologists in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rev Bras Neurol. 2013;49:117-25..

Recently, neurology has developed a new area of action due to advances in thrombolytic/thrombectomy treatment of acute stroke, that resulted in a change of neurologist behaviour, including full-time intrahospital performance for emergency care for stroke, according to the guidelines of the Brazilian Society of Cerebrovascular Diseases1313. Martins SC, Freitas GR, Pontes-Neto OM, Pieri A, Moro CHC, Jesus PAP et al. Diretrizes para o tratamento do acidente vascular cerebral isquêmico: parte II: tratamento do acidente vascular. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2012;70(11):885-93. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0004-282X2012001100012
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0004-282X201200...
. We aimed to study whether being a stroke neurologist carried a higher burnout risk in comparison with those who only worked with outpatients in the same specialty.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional observational study with a quantitative approach to neurologists in the State of Paraná, Brazil, approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of HC-UFPR.

The inclusion criteria for responders was: being active in neurology at the time of completion of the questionnaire; having a medical record associated with the Regional Council of Medicine - Paraná chapter; and having signed the informed consent form.

Burnout was measured by using the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey, a self-administered validated questionnaire, which is considered the standard criterion tool for measuring burnout1414. Trigo TR. Validade fatorial do Maslach Burnout em uma amostra Brasileira de auxiliares de Enfermagem de um hospital universitário: influência da depressão [dissertação]. São Paulo: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo; 2011.,1515. Carlotto MS, Câmara SG. Análise fatorial do Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) em uma amostra de professores de instituições particulares. Psicol Estud. 2004;9(3):499-505. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1413-73722004000300018
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1413-7372200400...
. It contains 22 items that evaluate aspects of burnout syndrome: nine questions address emotional exhaustion, five are related to depersonalization and eight to professional accomplishment. Scores can indicate a burnout syndrome diagnosis in each of the three independent variables, not the sum of them1111. Maslach C, Jackson S, Leiter M. Maslach Burnout inventory manual. 3rd ed. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press; 1996. p. 191-218.. The scores obtained in these dimensions allow the classification of the intensity/degree by which the individual is affected: severely, moderately or minimally affected. Scores between 19 and 26 for emotional exhaustion, 6 and 9 for depersonalization, and 34 and 39 for professional accomplishment reflect an average degree of burnout syndrome. High scores in emotional exhaustion (greater than 26) or depersonalization (greater than 9) reflect a high degree of burnout syndrome1616. Schaufeli WB, Bakker AB, Hoogduin K, Schaap C, Kladler A. On the clinical validity of the maslach burnout inventory and the burnout measure. Psychol Health. 2001 Sep;16(5):565-82. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870440108405527
https://doi.org/10.1080/0887044010840552...
.

The Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey is based on the use of the Likert scale, a method commonly used in opinion polls, in which the questions specify in 7 points the agreement with a given statement: 0 = never; 1 = sometimes in the year or less; 2 = once a month or less; 3 = sometimes in a month; 4 = once a week; 5 = sometimes during the week; and 6 = every day. In the initial part of the questionnaire, we added identification questions about gender, age, workplace (either Curitiba and its metropolitan region, or in the country) and divided the current activity of the participant according to the field of action - emergency (stroke neurologists) or non-emergency (nonstroke neurologists).

The questionnaire was made available on the Regional Council of Medicine - Paraná chapter website in a Google Form format and sent to the neurologists, members of the Associação Paranaense de Ciências Neurológicas (Paraná's Association of Neurological Sciences) for four months, being resent every two weeks. The neurologists were invited to participate anonymously in the study, just answering some demographic and social/occupational data that was also included. Responses could be sent from either a computer or other electronic devices such as cell phones or tablets. Access to the link began with a brief description of the research objective, followed by the explanation of voluntary participation and a field of consent to participate. The responses were automatically stored on a database, with no possibility of individual access to the reply by email. The resulting data were accessed only by the researchers conducting statistical analysis.

Statistical software R (Core Team, 2017) version 3.4.0 was used for data analysis. Initially, the information was analyzed descriptively. We applied the Mann-Whitney test and Chi-squared test for comparison between the groups and Spearman's correlation as a correlation coefficient between the variables1717. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna: R Foundation for Statistical Computing; 2016.. For this study, p values lower than 0.05 were considered as significant.

RESULTS

Of the 271 neurologists who work in Paraná, 74 completed and returned the questionnaires, a response rate of 27.3%. Of these, 56.8% worked with stroke emergency as their main activity and were thus considered as stroke neurologists; and 43.2% did not work in emergency services, therefore were dubbed non-stroke neurologists; 52.7% were male, and 74.3% worked in Curitiba and its metropolitan region. The average age was 45.9 ± 12.0 years, ranging between 27 and 71 years. Thirty-three neurologists (44.6%) fulfilled criteria for severe burnout syndrome. Of these, 60.6% were female, 51.5% were stroke neurologists, and 75.8% worked in Curitiba and its metropolitan region.

The average age of the stroke neurologists was 44.3 ± 11.6 years and of the non-stroke neurologists was 47.9 ± 12.5 years. In the stroke neurologist group, 50% were female, and 73.9% worked in Curitiba and its metropolitan region, whereas in the non-stroke neurologist group 43.8% were female and 75% worked in Curitiba and its metropolitan region.

The average score in the emotional exhaustion section was 23.0 (± 11.6), that is, an average degree of emotional exhaustion; in the depersonalization section it was 6.2 (± 5.3), corresponding to a mean degree of depersonalization; and in the professional accomplishment section it was 39.8 (± 5.9), indicating a high degree of professional accomplishment. When analyzed in the two different groups, mean emotional exhaustion scores were 21.4 (± 10.5) in the stroke neurologist group and 25.1 (± 12.7) in the non-stroke neurologist group; depersonalization mean scores were 6.1 (± 5.2) in the stroke neurologist group and 6.4 (± 5.5) in the non-stroke neurologist group; and the mean professional accomplishment scores were 40.6 (± 5.0) in the stroke neurologist group and 38.8 (± 6.8) in the non-stroke neurologist group.

High levels of depersonalization were observed in 28.6% of stroke neurologists, similar to the rate in the non-stroke neurologist group, which was 28.1%. As for emotional exhaustion, the difference was slightly higher, 26.2% of the stroke neurologists showed a high degree of emotional exhaustion, whereas, in the non-stroke neurologist group, 28.1% showed this degree, with no statistical relevance. It was observed that 4.8% of stroke neurologists showed a low level of professional accomplishment and 15.7% of non-stroke neurologists had a low level of professional accomplishment, also not statistically relevant.

Emotional exhaustion was observed at higher levels in female neurologists (25.8 ± 11.9) than in male neurologists (20.5 ± 10.9), although without statistical relevance. An inverse correlation between age and emotional exhaustion levels (p < 0.001, Figure 1) was observed when the total sample was analyzed.

Figure 1
Relationship between emotional exhaustion levels and age in the total sample.

Median depersonalization levels did not show large discrepancies in gender, although the mean number of females (7.5 ± 6.0) was slightly higher than that of males (5.1 ± 4.4). Nevertheless, it was observed that male physicians had higher levels of professional accomplishment (40.7 ± 6.8) than female physicians (38.7 ± 4.6, p < 0.03).

It was possible to observe that among the non-stroke neurologists, females had a mean high degree of emotional exhaustion (29.1 ± 13.3), while their male counterparts had an average degree (22.7 ± 11.7). Among the stroke neurologists, the difference between genders was lower, with both genders showing an average degree (men had a mean of 19.1 ± 10.2 and women had a mean of 23.5 ± 10.5), although with no statistical relevance.

In both groups, there was a statistically significant inverse correlation between emotional exhaustion and professional accomplishment (p <0.001), as well as a correlation between emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (p < 0.001, Figure 2).

Figure 2
Relationship between emotional exhaustion levels and other indices: A - professional accomplishment in the non-stroke neurologist group; B - professional accomplishment in the stroke neurologist group; C - depersonalization in the non-stroke neurologist group; D - depersonalization in the stroke neurologist group. Relationship between professional accomplishment levels and depersonalization: E - non-stroke neurologist group and F - stroke neurologist group.

Among the stroke neurologists, there was a difference in professional accomplishment regarding gender, with females having medium levels (38.7 ± 4.1) and males with high levels (42.5 ± 5.3, p < 0.05). Conversely, there was no statistical relevance in the non-stroke neurologist group, with a medium level of professional accomplishment for both genders (males had a mean score of 38.9 ± 5.5, females had a mean of 38.7 ± 7.9). In both non-stroke neurologists and stroke neurologists, an inversely proportional relationship was observed between the levels of professional accomplishment and depersonalization (p < 0.001, Figure 2).

Regarding depersonalization, it was observed that in both groups females had a medium score (stroke neurologists had a mean of 7.4 ± 5.7; non-stroke neurologists had a mean of 7.6 ± 6.7), while males had low scores (stroke neurologists showed an average of 4.9 ± 4.4, non-stroke neurologists showed an average of 5.4 ± 4.4), albeit without statistical significance.

DISCUSSION

The results of this study demonstrated a high prevalence of burnout syndrome in neurologists in Paraná, comparable with recent publications. Physicians in specialties at the front line of health care access, such as emergency medicine and general internal medicine, are at a greater risk of burnout syndrome, according to previous studies33. Shanafelt TD, Boone S, Tan L, Dyrbye LN, Sotile W, Satele D, et al. Burnout and satisfaction with work-life balance among US physicians relative to the general US population. Arch Intern Med. 2012 Oct;172(18):1377-85. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3199
https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.20...
,1818. Zhou X, Pu J, Zhong X, Zhu D, Yin D, Yang L, et al. Burnout, psychological morbidity, job stress, and job satisfaction in Chinese neurologists. Neurology. 2017 May;88(18):1727-35. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000003883
https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.000000000000...
. With the new categorization of stroke neurologists, who are responsible for the emergency care of stroke, particularly caring for hyperacute and acute strokes, which started mainly in the 2000s1919. Hommel M, Cornu C, Boutitie F, Boissel JP. Thrombolytic therapy with streptokinase in acute ischemic stroke. N Engl J Med. 1996 Jul;335(3):145-50. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199607183350301
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, this could theoretically have led to a higher prevalence of burnout syndrome in this specific new setting. We did not find any study in the literature that categorized burned-out neurologists according to subspecialties, specifically stroke neurologists, and so we chose to divide our sample into two groups: stroke neurologists and non-stroke neurologists. The analyzed groups were homogeneous for epidemiological data - age, gender and workplace.

Our findings did not corroborate the hypothesis that the stress related to the context of emergency stroke care would be a significant factor for burnout syndrome in neurologists. This finding contrasts with several studies that reported that emergency care in other specialties led to greater burnout syndrome11. Tironi MO, Teles JM, Barros DS, Vieira DF, Silva Filho CM, Martins Júnior DF, et al. Prevalence of burnout syndrome in intensivist doctors in five Brazilian capitals. Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2016 Sep;28(3):270-7.,33. Shanafelt TD, Boone S, Tan L, Dyrbye LN, Sotile W, Satele D, et al. Burnout and satisfaction with work-life balance among US physicians relative to the general US population. Arch Intern Med. 2012 Oct;172(18):1377-85. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3199
https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.20...
,2020. Nishimura K, Nakamura F, Takegami M, Fukuhara S, Nakagawara J, Ogasawara K, et al Cross-sectional survey of workload and burnout among Japanese physicians working in stroke care: the nationwide survey of acute stroke care capacity for proper designation of comprehensive stroke center in Japan (J-ASPECT) study. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2014 May;7(3):414-22. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.113.000159
https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.113...
. We hypothesize that standardized guidelines, restricted to a single neurological emergency (namely stroke), reduces the variability of stress factors to which stroke neurologists are exposed in a highly-controlled setting. Data in the literature corroborate the idea that the frequency of burnout syndrome may not be related exclusively to the workload or high-stress demand, but rather to the amount of control that the emergency physician has in different situations2121. Tironi MO, Nascimento Sobrinho CL, Barros DS, Reis EJ, Marques Filho ES, Almeida A, et al. Professional Burnout Syndrome among intensive care physicians in Salvador, Brazil. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2009 Nov-Dec;55(6):656-62. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-42302009000600009
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,2222. Barbosa FT, Leão BA, Tavares GM, Santos JG. Burnout syndrome and weekly workload of on-call physicians: cross-sectional study. Sao Paulo Med J. 2012;130(5):282-8. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-31802012000500003
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.

Professionals with higher levels of emotional exhaustion had a lower level of professional accomplishment and greater depersonalization; conversely, those with a lower level of emotional exhaustion had a higher level of professional accomplishment and lower indexes of depersonalization. Likewise, neurologists with higher levels of professional fulfillment had lower rates of depersonalization (Figure 2). This study demonstrated that the three burnout syndrome descriptors are closely intertwined, corroborating previously-reported data2323. Alacacioglu A, Yavuzsen T, Dirioz M, Oztop I, Yilmaz U. Burnout in nurses and physicians working at an oncology department. Psychooncology. 2009 May;18(5):543-8. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.1432
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,2424. Gorgulu O, Akilli A. The determination of the levels of burnout syndrome, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction of the health workers. Niger J Clin Pract. 2017 Jan;20(1):48-56. https://doi.org/10.4103/1119-3077.180051
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,2525. Abdullah E, Idris A, Saparon A. Burnout in dermatology residents: a Canadian perspective. ARPN J Eng Appl Sci. 2017;12:3218-21.. However, each of these three variables has an impact on burnout syndrome incidence independently1616. Schaufeli WB, Bakker AB, Hoogduin K, Schaap C, Kladler A. On the clinical validity of the maslach burnout inventory and the burnout measure. Psychol Health. 2001 Sep;16(5):565-82. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870440108405527
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Similar to other previously-published studies, female neurologists had significantly lower levels of professional accomplishment than their male counterparts2020. Nishimura K, Nakamura F, Takegami M, Fukuhara S, Nakagawara J, Ogasawara K, et al Cross-sectional survey of workload and burnout among Japanese physicians working in stroke care: the nationwide survey of acute stroke care capacity for proper designation of comprehensive stroke center in Japan (J-ASPECT) study. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2014 May;7(3):414-22. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.113.000159
https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.113...
,2222. Barbosa FT, Leão BA, Tavares GM, Santos JG. Burnout syndrome and weekly workload of on-call physicians: cross-sectional study. Sao Paulo Med J. 2012;130(5):282-8. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-31802012000500003
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-3180201200...
, which could be explained by an excessive workload superimposed on a concomitant family burden, as well as lower satisfaction concerning financial return2626. Moreira DD, Magnago RF, Sakae TM, Magajewski FR. [Prevalence of burnout syndrome in nursing staff in a large hospital in south of Brazil]. Cad Saúde Pública. 2009;25(7):1559-68. Portuguese. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-311X2009000700014
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,2727. Martínez J. Aspectos epidemiológicos del Síndrome de Burnout en personal sanitario. Rev Esp Salud Publica. 1997;3(3):293-303. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1135-57271997000300008
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,2828. Teixeira-Poit SM, Halpern MT, Kane HL, Keating M, Olmsted M. Factors influencing professional life satisfaction among neurologists. BMC Health Serv Res. 2017 Jun;17(1):409. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-017-2343-8
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Although the literature reports that younger neurologists are more likely to work in an emergency setting, when we evaluated all neurologists split into groups of vascular neurologists who either work with stroke emergencies and those who don't, we could not find any differences of distribution between these two settings in different age groups. Therefore, in spite of some predominance of younger age groups in emergency rooms or intensive care units in general, or in other specialties, that is not the case among neurologists. Furthermore, younger neurologists, regardless of whether they were stroke neurologists or non-stroke neurologists, did not have a higher incidence of burnout syndrome than older ones. However, when we analyzed all domains separately in the different age groups, we found a significantly higher incidence of emotional exhaustion in the younger group (p < 0.05), as shown in Figure 1. This finding is similar to those of other studies that considered that an emergency environment leads to specifically higher levels of emotional exhaustion11. Tironi MO, Teles JM, Barros DS, Vieira DF, Silva Filho CM, Martins Júnior DF, et al. Prevalence of burnout syndrome in intensivist doctors in five Brazilian capitals. Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2016 Sep;28(3):270-7.,2020. Nishimura K, Nakamura F, Takegami M, Fukuhara S, Nakagawara J, Ogasawara K, et al Cross-sectional survey of workload and burnout among Japanese physicians working in stroke care: the nationwide survey of acute stroke care capacity for proper designation of comprehensive stroke center in Japan (J-ASPECT) study. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2014 May;7(3):414-22. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.113.000159
https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.113...
,2929. Hoppen CM, Kissmann N, Chinelato JR, Coelho VP, Wenczenovicz C, Nunes FC, et al. High prevalence of burnout syndrome among intensivists of the city of Porto Alegre. Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2017 Jan-Mar;29(1):115-20. https://doi.org/10.5935/0103-507x.20170017
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.

Pediatricians are known to have lower incomes and higher demands, but have a lower incidence of burnout syndrome than neurologists33. Shanafelt TD, Boone S, Tan L, Dyrbye LN, Sotile W, Satele D, et al. Burnout and satisfaction with work-life balance among US physicians relative to the general US population. Arch Intern Med. 2012 Oct;172(18):1377-85. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3199
https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.20...
, a specialty of low resolution and higher income, partly due to the lower number of practising professionals. This finding suggests that the causes of burnout syndrome are much more complex than a simple equation comparing financial income and workload. Other factors such as perceived greater responsibilities, greater demands and job insecurity3030. Ilić IM, Arandjelović MŽ, Jovanović JM, Nešić MM. Relationships of work-related psychosocial risks, stress, individual factors and Burnout: Questionnaire survey among emergency physicians and nurses. Med Pr. 2017 Mar;68(2):167-78. https://doi.org/10.13075/mp.5893.00516
https://doi.org/10.13075/mp.5893.00516...
are likely to play a major role as underlying causes of burnout syndrome. Preventive measures to relieve doctor-patient pressures include individual counseling, motivational meetings, available leisure time, career planning, self-acceptance, among others and, therefore, should be implemented.

One of the limitations of our study was the low number of respondents, which prevent us from generalizing the idea that stroke neurologists are more prone to burnout syndrome than other neurological subspecialties. This may be due to the extremely limited time of the physician, as well as the great amount of information he/she receives. Currently, the excess of electronic demand for online questionnaires, as an online methodology is more feasible, may be a complicating factor. Also, we could not make any comparison with other specialties that work either in an emergency setting or only within a medical clinic for outpatients, such as cardiology. The similarities and differences between vascular neurology and vascular cardiology may lead to a better understanding of burnout syndrome in these two subgroups. The increase of all vascular emergencies, regardless of specialty, might be a determining factor in the occurrence of burnout syndrome in other specialties, like vascular surgery, radiology, angiology, etc.

Nevertheless, this study had numerous benefits. It was the first to investigate burnout syndrome in neurologists in Brazil. Despite growing research in the area, studies on burnout syndrome have not yet been consolidated in the literature, particularly in Brazilian research. It was also a forerunner in comparing two areas of activity of the same specialty, and observed how burnout syndrome could vary according to such specificities.

In addition, with the recent acceptance of the neurohospitalist as a new area of activity, this work was the first in Brazil to incorporate this in the research. Future studies in this area are needed, as well as research comparing neurology with other vascular emergency specialties, and their areas of practice, which will deepen our understanding on the subject.

Acknowledgments

We are thankful for the support received from the Association of Neurological Sciences of Paraná and the Regional Council of Medicine in the dissemination of the questionnaires, and the statistician of the Sector of Health Sciences - UFPR, Ricardo Petterle, for assistance in the interpretation and analysis of the data.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    Feb 2019

History

  • Received
    25 Aug 2018
  • Reviewed
    09 Nov 2018
  • Accepted
    20 Nov 2018
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