Relationship of work bullying and burnout among vascular surgeons

Abstract

Background

Burnout affects the quality of patient care by increasing the probability of medical errors and decreasing patient satisfaction. An environmental approach has been implemented to address burnout, recognizing that burnout can be triggered by conditions in the workplace, particularly when work bullying occurs repeatedly over an extended period of time and undermines an individual’s character, integrity, or dignity. Multiple studies have examined the prevalence of burnout among vascular surgeons, with estimates ranging from 34% to 41%. However, work bullying has not been studied as a cause of burnout. This study aimed to determine the relationship between work bullying and increased burnout rates among Mexican vascular surgeons.

Methods

This study consisted of a survey of Mexican vascular surgeons currently in practice. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was used to assess burnout, and the modified Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terrorism-60 was used to assess work bullying tactics. The study additionally aimed to identify vulnerable groups that are more susceptible to burnout, such as gender, age, working long hours, and type of practice, in order to determine if they are equally affected by work bullying.

Results

Burnout symptoms were found in 41% of the 142 completed surveys examined, with emotional exhaustion being the most common component. Positive work bullying strategies affected 32% of the population. The study demonstrated a strong association between burnout and work bullying, with work bullying victims having a greater risk of developing burnout (odds ratio = 2.9; 95% confidence interval [1.41; 5.98]; P < .01). In addition, female gender, younger generation, working more than 60 hours per week, and practicing in the public sector were also related to a greater prevalence of burnout and work bullying.

Conclusions

This study found a significant correlation between burnout and work bullying among Mexican vascular surgeons. These findings suggest that preventative measures against work bullying may reduce the incidence of burnout among this population.