Prevalence of burnout syndrome in European and North American anesthesiologists: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Aims

The prevalence of burnout syndrome dimensions in anesthesiologists show notable international differences. In this study, mean prevalences of European and North American anesthesiologists are compared.

Methods

Quantitative systematic review (meta-analysis) following the PRISMA and MOOSE criteria. Only studies made with the Maslach Burnout Inventory that includes a Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) were included. The quality of the studies was evaluated with a modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale, which was used in the meta-regression analyzes together with the Healthcare Access and Quality Index (HAQI) and Gross National Income (GNI) indicators for each country. Publication bias due to small size studies was evaluated with the Egger test.

Results

The means of Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization were lower in anesthesiologists from Western Europe than in those from Eastern Europe and North America, but the differences were only statistically significant in the Emotional Exhaustion dimension. Meta-regression results were not statistically significant in any of the burnout dimensions for any of the three moderating variables. The test for publication bias was not statistically significant in any of the three dimensions.

Conclusions

Based on the results of the meta-analysis and the information from the included studies, social and organizational factors are the most important etiological factors that explain the differences in prevalence. Some of them are related specifically to Eastern Europe and other factors are more relevant in North America. These differences are discussed in this paper.