Prevalence of burnout among practising anaesthesia providers: a systematic review

Burnout is characterised by emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced personal accomplishment. Anaesthesia providers are at particular risk of experiencing burnout, with implications for workforce well-being and patient safety. We aimed to quantify the prevalence of burnout among practising anaesthesia providers and critically appraise the methodological quality of the underlying evidence.

Databases were searched for English-language studies reporting prevalence of burnout in anaesthesia providers. Definitions of burnout, measurement tools used and prevalence estimates were narratively synthesised.

We included 50 studies, encompassing 35,599 fully qualified anaesthesia providers (31,500 physicians and 4099 non-physicians); 43 (86%) studies used the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Overall median (IQR [range]) prevalence of burnout was 42 (21-59 [9-99])%. Burnout dichotomisation varied substantially, with 15 distinct and reproducible Maslach Burnout Inventory-based criteria identified. Re-analysis of five datasets showed prevalence estimates for the same population ranged from 3.1% to 69.9%, depending on the criteria applied. Most studies used non-random sampling and were judged to be at unclear or high-risk of bias across many domains.

Prevalence estimates of burnout vary widely due to inconsistent measurement and interpretation. Standardised reporting of subscale scores and use of validated binary classification tools would improve comparability. Robust sampling strategies are needed to inform targeted interventions.