Burnout subtypes and associated factors among police officers in Sri Lanka: A cross-sectional study

Even though policing is associated with very high levels of occupational stress and burnout, no studies have been conducted to explore burnout subtypes among police officers globally. Hence, this cross-sectional study was conducted among 750 police officers working in a police division in Sri Lanka to determine the distribution and associations of burnout subtypes using the Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire. The police officers had high scores for frenetic and worn-out subtypes in comparison to the underchallenged subtype. Multivariable analysis elicited a multitude of statistically significant associations with burnout subtypes (p < 0.05). Staff adequacy and fewer working hours were negatively associated with frenetic subtype. Younger police officers had a positive association, while, being married, satisfactory infrastructure facilities, frequent superior guidance, satisfactory higher official support, satisfactory allowances and the opportunity to serve public showed negative associations with underchallenged subtype. Being married, staff adequacy, frequent superior guidance, higher official support, satisfactory allowances, satisfactory social status and overall job satisfaction elicited significant negative associations with worn-out subtype. The findings are suggestive of high burnout subtype profile among the police officers in the study population and the associated factors of the three burnout subtypes are congruent with the characteristics of the burnout subtype profile.