Multidimensional factors of burnout in general practice: a cross-sectional survey.

[en] BACKGROUND: General practitioners (GPs) are particularly vulnerable to job burnout. Tailored prevention and intervention strategies are needed.
AIM: To investigate organisational, interpersonal and individual factors contributing to exhaustion and disengagement at work among GPs.
DESIGN & SETTING: We conducted a cross-sectional study in a sample of Belgian GPs.
METHOD: A total of 358 doctors (73% females, 301 with complete data) completed an online anonymous questionnaire assessing job burnout, psychosocial characteristics of the work environment, perceived social support in the private domain, emotional competence, and self-compassion.
RESULTS: GPs reported moderate levels of exhaustion and disengagement. Regression models showed that included factors jointly explained 69% of the variance in exhaustion and 63% in disengagement. Exhaustion was significantly predicted by sex (being a woman) (β effect size =-.1), high perceived emotional demands (β=.19), as well as low self-compassion (β=-.14) and low emotional competence (β=.09). Disengagement was significantly predicted by low seniority (β=-.12) and limited opportunities for development (β=-.16). Both exhaustion and disengagement were predicted by low perceived quality of work (β=-.19 and -.14 respectively), meaning of work (β=-.17 and -.31 respectively) and role clarity (β=.09 and .12 respectively), as well as high perceived work-life conflict (β=.46 and .21 respectively). Moreover, GPs working in a multidisciplinary group reported lower levels of exhaustion and disengagement than those working in a monodisciplinary group or a solo practice, and this difference was associated with factors such as work-life conflict.
CONCLUSION: Organisational, interpersonal and intrapersonal factors interact to predict a substantial part of burnout in general practice. The most significant risk factors were perceived work-life conflict and poor meaning of work. Policy-makers should work to support more sustainable practices based on the specific needs and constraints reported by GPs.