A cross-sectional study on physician burnout in Sudan: The role of workplace violence

Introduction Burnout is a widespread occupational hazard among physicians and can lead to negative effects on both physicians and patients. Sudanese physicians work in a fragile health system, and under very challenging conditions. However, a few studies have explored burnout drivers among them. This study aimed to measure burnout prevalence, determine its associated factors, and compare its levels among physicians in a major federal hospital in Sudan. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among physicians working at Ibrahim Malik teaching hospital in Khartoum, Sudan. An online questionnaire containing the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel was used to collect data from house officers, medical officers, and registrars. Burnout was defined as either i. high emotional exhaustion and high depersonalization, or ii. High emotional exhaustion and low personal accomplishment. Results Of the 245 physicians who participated in the study, 44 (18%) had burnout; 63 (25.7%) had high emotional exhaustion, 60 (24.5%) had high depersonalization, and 193 (78.8%) had low personal accomplishment. More than half (56.7%) had experienced workplace violence in the last year, which was associated with burnout (P = 0.024). The logistic regression found that female physicians had higher odds of burnout (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.00–4.28, P = 0.049). Also, physicians who experienced workplace violence had increased burnout odds (OR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.07–5.96) for one incident, and (OR = 7.04, 95% CI: 1.65–30.08) for three or more incidents. Furthermore, high emotional exhaustion was associated with job title, while high depersonalization was associated with job title and experience. Conclusion High burnout prevalence was noticed among Sudanese physicians, which was linked to workplace violence. Policy makers should employ strict legislation to protect physicians at their workplace. Also, interventions such as expanding the hospital or hiring additional staff could be considered to reduce burnout.