Burnout among Palliative Care Physicians in India: A Multicentric Cross-sectional Study

Burnout is a significant occupational hazard among palliative care physicians, driven by the emotionally demanding and high-stress nature of their work. Despite its implications for physician well-being and patient care, limited data are available on burnout within Indian palliative care settings. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of burnout and explore associated demographic and occupational factors among palliative care physicians across India.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 68 palliative care physicians across India using a non-probabilistic convenience sampling approach. Participants completed a semi-structured socio-demographic questionnaire along with the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), which measures burnout across three domains: personal, work-related and client-related. Given the non-normal distribution of data, non-parametric statistical tests were employed for analysis.

The majority of physicians (85.3%) reported low overall burnout, whereas 10.3% experienced moderate burnout and 4.4% reported high burnout, based on established CBI cut-off scores. Notably, higher work-related and client-related burnout scores were observed among junior physicians and those practising in mixed-care settings. Engagement in regular physical activity was significantly associated with reduced overall burnout (P = 0.039), indicating its potential protective effect.

Although most palliative care physicians in India demonstrated low levels of burnout, a significant minority exhibited moderate to high burnout-particularly in domains related to work and patient care. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions aimed at improving institutional support, encouraging physical well-being and optimising work environments to mitigate burnout and enhance the sustainability of palliative care practice.