Affiliations: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, School of Health
Professions, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel | Sociology of Health, Ben-Gurion University of the
Negev, Israel | Department of Family Medicine, Tel-Aviv University
Medical School, Israel | Pediatric Ambulatory Center, Petah-Tikva, General
Health Services, Israel
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Talma Kushnir, Ph.D, Sociology of
Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.Box
653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. Tel.: +972 8 6477423; Fax: +972 8 6477635;
E-mail: talmak@bgu.ac.il
Abstract: Background. Burnout is an occupational disease that impairs both
quality of health care and physicians' health. It is associated with emotional
distress, absenteeism, reduction in personal effectiveness, and increased risk
for health problems. Burnout has rarely been investigated among pediatricians.
Objectives. We investigated the association between work
structure and burnout among primary care pediatricians. Work structure was
conceptualized as the discrepancy between perceived workload and satisfaction
from specific professional activities. Methods. 126 Israeli pediatricians at child healthcare
community clinics (63% response rate) responded anonymously to a self-report
questionnaire assessing workload, satisfaction and burnout. Results. Burnout was associated significantly with
workload/satisfaction discrepancy. The highest discrepancy involved
administrative duties and the lowest was found for regular office visits,
consultations concerning child development and inoculations, and continuing
medical education. Conclusions. Burnout was associated with infrequent
performance of satisfying activities (e.g. research, tutoring medical
students); and frequent engagement in disliked duties (e.g. administrative
work). Burnout may be reduced by modifying work structure to include more
involvement in professional interactions with other professionals, more varied
and challenging activities such as teaching medical students, participating in
research and community health promotion.
