[Prevalence of worker burnout and psychiatric illness in primary care physicians in a health care area in Madrid].

AIM

To analyze worker burnout and the prevalence of psychiatric illness among primary care physicians, and to determine how burnout is related with sociodemographic and work-related factors.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, descriptive study.

SETTING

Primary care centers in Area 8, Madrid (central Spain).Subjects. All 244 physicians (family medicine and pediatrics) who provided care at centers in Area 8 at the time of the study.Method. Anonymous, self-administered questionnaire that included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (worker burnout); GHQ-28 (possible mental illness); survey of sociodemographic and work-related factors, unhealthy behaviors, use of medications, and perceived quality of care and risk of medical errors in relation with work-related pressures; open question regarding causes of work-related stress.

RESULTS

Response rate, 80.3%. Burnout was detected in 69.2% of the physicians (95% CI, 62.1%-75.4%) and was severe in 12.3%. The prevalence of possible psychiatric illness was 36.7%. Burnout was found to be related with possible psychiatric illness (P<.01); perception that work-related pressures frequently led to diminished quality of care and medical errors (P<.o1); permanent employment status (P<.05); more than 1700 patients on the patient list (P<.05); age between 37 and 46 years (P<.01) and patient load of 35 to 47 patients/day (P<.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of worker burnout and possible psychiatric illness was high, and the two variables were related. A large percentage of participants perceived that work-related pressures diminished the quality of care provided.