Factors Influencing Occupational Burnout Among Palliative Care Practitioners in China

The aim of this investigation was to examine the job burnout status among health practitioners in palliative care wards within a specific province of China and to analyze associated factors.

A multicenter cross-sectional study design was utilized from August to October 2023, enrolling 164 health practitioners from nine hospitals within the palliative care wards of the specified province. Data collection involved anonymous questionnaires covering basic personal information, job characteristics, and levels of occupational burnout. A self-designed general questionnaire assessed the personal basic information and job characteristics of the health practitioners, while the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) measured the level of occupational burnout. Data analysis included binary logistic univariate regression analysis and binary logistic stepwise regression analysis, with statistical significance set at P < 0.05.

Forty-one participants (31.5%) faced both severe emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, while ninety-seven participants (74.6%) reported a significant decline in personal accomplishment. The overall rate of detecting occupational burnout among palliative care practitioners reached 44.6%. Scores for each dimension of burnout were as follows: the mean score for severe emotional exhaustion was 33.15 (SD = 6.34); the mean score for severe depersonalization was 13.51 (SD = 4.07); and the mean score for severe decline in personal accomplishment was 23.64 (SD = 7.15). Factors such as work intensity, prospects in palliative care careers, and hospitalization payment methods have shown notable impacts on severe emotional exhaustion (P < 0.05). Similarly, prospects in palliative care careers was were significantly associated with severe depersonalization (P = 0.005). Furthermore, factors including prospects in palliative care careers, participation in specialized training, availability of psychological counselors/psychotherapists, and employment method significantly influenced the severe declines in personal accomplishment (P < 0.05).

This is the first survey to assess the prevalence of burnout among palliative care physicians in Sichuan Province in China. The overall detection rate of occupational burnout is relatively high among healthcare practitioners there. Work intensity, prospects in palliative care careers, hospitalization payment method, participation in specialized training, availability of psychological counselors/psychotherapists, and employment method have shown significant impact on burnout levels.