Burnout and Work Engagement among Otorhinolaryngologists in Türkiye: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Survey

Burnout and reduced work engagement are recognized occupational concerns among physicians; however, specialty-specific data on otorhinolaryngology (ORL) practice in Türkiye are limited. This multicenter study evaluated burnout and work engagement among otorhinolaryngologists and examined their associations with sociodemographic characteristics and institutional settings.

This cross-sectional online survey included 120 otorhinolaryngologists working in different cities and institutional settings across Türkiye, including tertiary city hospitals, university hospitals, training and research hospitals, state hospitals, and private clinics. Burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), comprising the emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA) subscales. Work engagement was assessed using the nine-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). Multivariable median regression analyses were performed to identify factors independently associated with the study outcomes.

Based on the predefined MBI thresholds, 65.8% of participants scored within the high range for EE, and 41.7% scored within the high ranges for both EE and DP. Female participants had higher EE and DP scores than male participants (both p≤0.001). Increasing age was associated with lower DP and higher PA scores. In the unadjusted analyses, physicians working in city hospitals had higher DP scores than those working in university hospitals (p=0.016). In the multivariable median regression analyses, female sex was the only factor independently associated with higher EE (p<0.001) and DP (p=0.034) scores. The total UWES-9 score was negatively correlated with EE and DP and positively correlated with PA (all p<0.001).

Burnout-related dimensions, particularly EE and DP, were frequently observed among otorhinolaryngologists in Türkiye. Female sex was independently associated with higher EE and DP scores. These findings highlight the need to monitor occupational well-being among ORL physicians and may inform the development of institution-level initiatives aimed at improving workplace support and organization.