Professional Burnout of Advanced Practice Providers Based on 2019 American Urological Association Census Data

Burnout has been recognized as an occupational hazard among health care professionals. The objective of this study was to assess the extent and pattern of burnout in advanced practice providers (APPs) in urology by analyzing American Urological Association Census data.

The American Urological Association conducts an annual census survey to all providers in the urological care community, including APPs. In the 2019 Census, the Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaire was included to measure burnout among APPs. Demographic and practice variables were assessed to establish correlating factors to burnout.

A total of 199 APPs (83 physician assistants and 116 nurse practitioners) completed the 2019 Census. Slightly more than 1 in 4 APPs experienced professional burnout (25.3% in physician assistants and 26.7% in nurse practitioners). Observed higher burnout rates were seen in APPs who were aged 45 to 54 (34.3%), women (29.6% vs 10.8% in men, p value <0.05), non-White (33.3% vs 24.9% in White), those who had 4-9 years of practice (32.4%) and those who practiced in academic medical centers (31.7%). Except for gender, none of the above observed differences were statistically significant. Using a multivariate logistic regression model, gender remained the only significant factor associated with burnout (women vs men with an odds ratio of 3.2 [95% confidence interval: 1.1-9.6]).

Overall, APPs in urological care reported lower levels of burnout than urologists; however, there was a higher chance of female APPs experiencing higher professional burnout in comparison to their male counterparts. Future studies are needed to investigate possible reasons for this finding.