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Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®
Published in: Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research® 8/2016

01-08-2016 | Clinical Research

Among Musculoskeletal Surgeons, Job Dissatisfaction Is Associated With Burnout

Authors: Olivier D. R. van Wulfften Palthe, MD, Valentin Neuhaus, MD, Stein J. Janssen, MD, Thierry G. Guitton, MD, PhD, David Ring, MD, PhD, on behalf of the Science of Variation Group

Published in: Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research® | Issue 8/2016

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Abstract

Background

Burnout is common in professions such as medicine in which employees have frequent and often stressful interpersonal interactions where empathy and emotional control are important. Burnout can lead to decreased effectiveness at work, negative health outcomes, and less job satisfaction. A relationship between burnout and job satisfaction is established for several types of physicians but is less studied among surgeons who treat musculoskeletal conditions.

Questions/purposes

We asked: (1) For surgeons treating musculoskeletal conditions, what risk factors are associated with worse job dissatisfaction? (2) What risk factors are associated with burnout symptoms?

Methods

Two hundred ten (52% of all active members of the Science of Variation Group [SOVG]) surgeons who treat musculoskeletal conditions (94% orthopaedic surgeons and 6% trauma surgeons; in Europe, general trauma surgeons do most of the fracture surgery) completed the Global Job Satisfaction instrument, Shirom–Malamed Burnout Measure, and provided practice and surgeon characteristics. Most surgeons were male (193 surgeons, 92%) and most were academically employed (186 surgeons, 89%). Factors independently associated with job satisfaction and burnout were identified with multivariable analysis.

Results

Greater symptoms of burnout (β, −7.13; standard error [SE], 0.75; 95% CI, −8.60 to −5.66; p < 0.001; adjusted R2, 0.33) was the only factor independently associated with lower job satisfaction. Having children (β, −0.45; SE, 0.0.21; 95% CI, −0.85 to −0.043; p = 0.030; adjusted R2, 0.046) was the only factor independently associated with fewer symptoms of burnout.

Conclusions

Among an active research group of largely academic surgeons treating musculoskeletal conditions, most are satisfied with their job. Efforts to limit burnout and job satisfaction by optimizing engagement in and deriving meaning from the work are effective in other settings and merit attention among surgeons.

Level of Evidence

Level II, prognostic study.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
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Metadata
Title
Among Musculoskeletal Surgeons, Job Dissatisfaction Is Associated With Burnout
Authors
Olivier D. R. van Wulfften Palthe, MD
Valentin Neuhaus, MD
Stein J. Janssen, MD
Thierry G. Guitton, MD, PhD
David Ring, MD, PhD
on behalf of the Science of Variation Group
Publication date
01-08-2016
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research® / Issue 8/2016
Print ISSN: 0009-921X
Electronic ISSN: 1528-1132
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-016-4848-6

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