Liver Transpl. 2021 Nov 26. doi: 10.1002/lt.26375. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Burnout among transplant hepatologists has not been well-characterized. The goal of this study was to describe the prevalence and predictors of burnout among practicing transplant hepatologists in the United States.
METHODS: We designed a 69-item survey, including the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and questions on provider demographics, practice characteristics, and psychological factors. The survey was administered to practicing U.S. transplant hepatologists between October and December 2019. We described burnout using MBI subscales [emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), personal accomplishment (PA)] and determined significant predictors of burnout, which we defined as high EE, using univariate and multivariate analyses.
RESULTS: A total of 185 transplant hepatologists completed the survey (response rate= 25% of 738 practicing transplant hepatologists in the US). Forty percent reported high EE, while 17% and 16% reported high DP and low PA, respectively. On multivariate analysis, respondents with more than five colleagues (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.44 (0.23-0.84)), reporting adequate time for outpatient visits (OR 0.42 [0.22-0.80]), reporting greater comfort with their clinical caseload (OR 0.58 [0.37-0.91]) and reporting higher confidence in their prior training (OR 0.59 [0.29-0.86]) had a lower likelihood of high EE. Working six or more hours from home outside of work per week (OR 2.04, [1.07-3.89]) predicted a higher likelihood of burnout. Compensation, age, gender, career phase, caregiver status, and transplant center volume did not predict burnout.
CONCLUSION: Forty percent of transplant hepatologists experienced burnout, predicted mostly by factors related to work-time distribution, peer support, and affect. These findings should prompt development of system-level initiatives.
PMID:34826182 | DOI:10.1002/lt.26375
