Burnout syndrome in oral and maxillofacial surgeons: a critical analysis

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of burnout syndrome among Brazilian oral and maxillofacial surgeons and its relationship with socio-demographic, clinical, and habit variables. The sample of this study comprised 116 surgeons. The syndrome was quantified using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (General Survey), which defines burnout as the triad of high emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. The criteria of Grunfeld et al. were used to evaluate the presence of the syndrome (17.2%). No significant differences between the surgeons diagnosed with and without the syndrome were observed according to age (P = 0.804), sex (P = 0.197), marital status (P = 0.238), number of children (P = 0.336), years of professional experience (P = 0.102), patients attended per day (P = 0.735), hours worked per week (P = 0.350), use of alcohol (P = 0.148), sports practice (P = 0.243), hobbies (P = 0.161), or vacation period per year (P = 0.215). Significant differences occurred in the variables sex in the emotional exhaustion subscale (P = 0.002) and use or not of alcohol in the personal accomplishment subscale (P = 0.035). Burnout syndrome among Brazilian surgeons is average, showing a low personal accomplishment.