The Relationship Between Burnout and Perceived Stress: A sample of Healthcare Workers

Abstract

Objective: The complex relationship between perceived stress and burnout symptoms in medical professionals is an overlooked topic abd there are limited studies that examine the relationship between these two varriables. In this study, it is aimed to examine the relationship between perceived stress and burnout based on Maslach’s three-dimensional model. Methods: The study sample consists of 32 males, 124 females and totally 156 medical secretaries from different departments of Dokuz Eylul University Hospital (DEUH). Sociodemographic form for all the participants was completed during the interviews. The Turkish MBI (Maslach's Burnout Inventory) and Turkish PSS (Perceived Stress Scale) were completed by the participants. Results: Our findings revealed that stress and burnout scores were not statistically significant different in terms of sociodemographic variables such as gender, marital status, education level, and working unit. Furthermore, stress was found to be positively correlated with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and also depersonalization and personal accomplishment subscales were significantly predictive of stress. Discussion: The development of programs aimed at reducing the stress level of individuals in healthcare organizations and taking some precautions in this direction will also decrease the level of burnout and increase the work efficiency.