Burnout syndrome among forensic physicians in Saudi Arabia

Background/purpose: Working in a forensic medicine setting imposes a significant psychological burden on the employees due to work duties of devastating and unpredictable nature. The work nature puts forensic practitioners at substantial risk of developing burnout. This study investigated the extent of occupational burnout among forensic medicine physicians in Saudi Arabia and the different coping methods implemented. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted on Saudi forensic medicine physicians across different centers. The questionnaire was divided into four sections: demographics, work characteristics, Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, and the brief-COPE Inventory. Results: 56.1% of participants experienced high burnout levels, whereas 26.3% and 17.5% scored medium and low levels of burnout, respectively. The increased number of cases acquired weekly and working hours per day were strong predictors of high burnout levels. The first choice to be considered by many forensic experts regarding coping with the number of stressful stimuli was taking a vacation. Conclusion: The study found a high prevalence of burnout among Saudi forensic practitioners, of which the majority exhibited high levels of burnout. The number of cases reflected a considerable impact on psychological well-being, making them more prone to score higher on burnout measures while having more work experience revealed better-coping abilities with time. Therefore, special efforts should be considered and applied to minimize burnout.