Understanding burnout in physician assistants/associates through the lens of Conservation of Resources theory.

Abstract

Introduction: Burnout among clinicians can jeopardize their well-being, productivity, and quality of patient care. However, research on burnout of physician assistants/associates (PAs) is limited. This study investigates factors associated with burnout among PAs.

Methods: Using the Conservation of Resources theory as a framework and robust national data (N = 122 360), we examined factors associated with PA burnout. Analyses included descriptives, bivariate statistics, and multivariate logistic regression with marginal effects.

Results: A third (34.2%) reported experiencing at least one symptom of burnout; however, differences by specialty were observed, with emergency medicine PAs having the highest prevalence (42.2%) while dermatology PAs had the lowest (26.1%). Multivariate analysis revealed that the strongest factor associated with a 19.9 percentage point higher probability of burnout was a perceived decline in the quality of working conditions in the past year. PAs in emergency medicine were more likely than PAs in other specialties to report worsening conditions. Other factors associated with increased burnout included workload, understaffing, and educational debt.

Conclusion: The declining quality of working conditions among PAs was the strongest factor associated with increased burnout, while satisfaction with work-life balance was protective. Strategies and policies focusing on maintaining quality working environments to reduce burnout risk should be prioritized.