Insiders as outsiders: burnout and its determinants among acupuncture practitioners in China's public hospitals

With the growing global interest in health protection and traditional medicine, acupuncture practitioners are receiving widespread international recognition. However, research on burnout among this professional group remains limited-particularly in the context of public hospitals. This study adopts a novel perspective that bridges acupuncture practitioners and occupational health, aiming to assess both burnout level and its determinants among acupuncture practitioners in public hospitals. It helps reveal the unique occupational stressors and health risks faced by this group within institutional medical settings.

Drawing on the person-environment fit theory, a survey was conducted among 614 acupuncture practitioners employed in China's public hospitals, by using the Chinese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). The study used SPSS for statistical analyses, including one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression, to examine the main factors contributing to acupuncture practitioners' burnout.

The findings indicated a moderate level of burnout among acupuncture practitioners (mean = 2.63 ± 0.89) in China's public hospitals, with emotional exhaustion (2.69 ± 0.90), depersonalization (2.56 ± 0.97), and reduced personal accomplishment (2.61 ± 0.93) as the primary dimensions. Key determinants were categorized into four levels: individual factors (gender, marital status, age, years of work experience, professional title); organizational factors (institutional support, organizational management systems, remuneration, career advancement, departmental competition, interpersonal relationships); occupational factors (work intensity, work specialization); and societal factors (patient negativity, public misunderstanding).

Burnout is prevalent among acupuncture practitioners in China's public hospitals and is influenced by multiple factors. Alleviating burnout in this context requires a multi-level strategy: developing a human-centered occupational support system, aligning organizational management with the specific needs of acupuncture practice, implementing tailored and sustainable work mechanisms, and fostering a socially supportive environment. This study broadens the scope of burnout research by applying it to acupuncture practitioners and provides actionable recommendations to improve working conditions and promote the well-being of acupuncture practitioners in public healthcare systems.