Burnout Among Surgeons in the UK During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cohort Study

Houdmont, Jonathan; Daliya, Prita; Theophilidou, Elena; Adiamah, Alfred; Hassard, Juliet; Lobo, Dileep N.; Ahmed, Jamil; Babu, Victor; Baker, Daryll; Bartlett, David; Beckingham, Ian; Bhatti, Imran; Brooks, Adam; Brown, Steven; Burke, Josh; Byrne, Hannah; Chetter, Ian; Cook, Hannah; Coulston, James; Cruddas, Lucinda; Dias, Richard; Dor, Frank; Dube, Mukul; Grant, Katherine; Hammond, John; Hargest, Rachel; Joachim, Theophilus; Joseph, Annie; Kara, Naveed; Karavias, Dimitrios; Kotecha, Sita; Kushairi, Anisa; Lal, Roshan; Lam, Kit; Lasrado, Irwin; Lee, Rachel; Mann, Gurminder; Mannu, George; Maxwell-Armstrong, Charles; McCaslin, James; McDermot, Frank; Miller, Andrew; Miller, Sarah; Morgan, Jenna; Nandhra, Sandip; Narayanasamy, Sangara; O?Brien, Patrick; Parry, Laura; Peters, Kizzie; Pitsika, Marina; Psaltis, Emmanouil; Sargen, Kevin; Sarmah, Panchali; Shyamsundar, Murali; Reddy, Chinnappa; Rollins, Katie; Roslan, Farah; Shalhoub, Joseph; Stanislas, Matt; Tan, Benjamin; Tewari, Nilanjana;...

Abstract

Background
Surgeon burnout has implications for patient safety and workforce sustainability. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of burnout among surgeons in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods
This cross-sectional online survey was set in the UK National Health Service and involved 601 surgeons across the UK of all specialities and grades. Participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a bespoke questionnaire. Outcome measures included emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and low personal accomplishment, as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS).

Results
A total of 142 surgeons reported having contracted COVID-19. Burnout prevalence was particularly high in the emotional exhaustion (57%) and depersonalisation (50%) domains, while lower on the low personal accomplishment domain (15%). Burnout prevalence was unrelated to COVID-19 status; however, the greater the perceived impact of COVID-19 on work, the higher the prevalence of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. Degree of worry about contracting COVID-19 oneself and degree of worry about family and friends contacting COVID-19 was positively associated with prevalence on all three burnout domains. Across all three domains, burnout prevalence was exceptionally high in the Core Trainee 1–2 and Specialty Trainee 1–2 grades.

Conclusions
These findings highlight potential undesirable implications for patient safety arising from surgeon burnout. Moreover, there is a need for ongoing monitoring in addition to an enhanced focus on mental health self-care in surgeon training and the provision of accessible and confidential support for practising surgeons.

Citation

Houdmont, J., Daliya, P., Theophilidou, E., Adiamah, A., Hassard, J., Lobo, D. N., …the East Midlands Surgical Academic Network (EMSAN) Burnout Study Group. (2022). Burnout Among Surgeons in the UK During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cohort Study. World Journal of Surgery, 46, Article 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-021-06351-6

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 7, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Oct 26, 2021
• Publication Date: 2022
• Deposit Date: Oct 28, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 28, 2021
• Journal: World Journal of Surgery
• Print ISSN: 0364-2313
• Electronic ISSN: 1432-2323
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 46
• Article Number: 1-9
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-021-06351-6
• Keywords: Surgery
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/6541770
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00268-021-06351-6