Burnout syndrome among Libyan physicians in different specialties: an observational cross-sectional study

Burnout is an occupation-related syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and a diminished sense of personal accomplishment (PA) at work. The healthcare profession is an exhausting job that involves individual health and mental well-being. The aim is to determine the prevalence and severity of burnout syndrome among Libyan physicians. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted from March to September 2023, recruiting 731 physicians from both public and private sectors, encompassing various specialties and subspecialties. Upon agreeing to participate, physicians were assessed in two sections. Section One included socio-demographic characteristics. In section two, burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). In our study, 731 physicians from various health facilities participated. The average age was 36.76 years (±7.23). The Sex distribution was 38.9% male and 61.1% female. More than half of the physicians were married (60.7%). The average income was 1,672 LD (approximately US$344.74) with a standard deviation of 2177.19 LD. The mean number of vacation days taken annually was 16.85 days (±26.03). Among the three dimensions, 47.1% of the physicians reported a high score of burnout for EE, 86.3% for depersonalization, and 18.6% for personal achievement. Age, marital status, specialty, and place of work were significant risk factors for burnout in three dimensions; EE, DP, and PA (p-value <0.05); the highest burnout rates were 16.8% for the medicine, 10.0% for the ICU and anesthesia, 7.6% for surgery, 5.3% for obstetrics and gynecology, and 4.2% for pediatrics. In conclusion, physician burnout is declared a public health threat if no immediate action is taken to mitigate a work-related burden on physicians.