Burnout and quality of life among Spanish healthcare personnel.

Abstract

ACCESSIBLE SUMMARY: •  This study investigates the quality of life in healthcare personnel and the relationship to burnout syndrome. •  The health-related quality of life reported by healthcare personnel from five Spanish hospitals was lower than the reference population. •  The results showed that perceived health, especially mental health, was worse amongst personnel that reported a high level of burnout. •  The results highlight the need to prevent burnout through organizational strategies and programmes to promote occupational health. ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to analyse the relationship between perceived quality of life and levels of burnout among healthcare personnel. A sample of 1095 participants (nurses, physicians, nursing assistants and orderlies) from five hospitals in the province of Girona (Spain) were studied (78% women, mean age = 36.6 years, SD = 8.8) using the 36-item short-form health questionnaire (SF-36) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The results showed that health-related quality of life reported by this sample of healthcare personnel was lower than the reference population values, especially in those SF-36 dimensions that comprise the mental component. In comparing the dimensions of the SF-36 by profession, we found that physicians had better perceived health in the dimensions of the physical component than nurses and other professionals (P < 0.01). No statistical differences were observed between profession and the dimensions of the mental component (P > 0.05). Moreover, perceived health was worse among those that reported a high level on any of the components of burnout. These results should be taken account when designing a burnout prevention programme in the workplace.