Burnout in Podiatrists: Individual Characteristics, Workplace Factors and Job Satisfaction
31.6% of Australian podiatrists surveyed experienced burnout, with job satisfaction variables providing the strongest predictive accuracy (78.8%) — ahead of workplace factors (67.1%) and individual characteristics (72.4%).
Context
To identify individual, workplace and job satisfaction factors associated with burnout among registered podiatrists in Australia, and to determine which factors offer the greatest potential for targeted prevention strategies.
Outcomes included:
- Burnout prevalence (abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory)
- Individual characteristics: age, health, mental distress, resilience, personality traits
- Workplace factors: practice setting, hours worked, patient volume, consultation time, leave access
- Job satisfaction measures
- Intention to leave patient care or the profession within 5 years
Methods
- Data collected from registered podiatrists via four online surveys administered annually from 2017 to 2020 (PAIGE study).
- Information gathered on work history, job preferences, personal characteristics, health, personality, life experiences and risk-taking behaviours.
- Burnout assessed using the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory.
- Multiple logistic regression analyses used to assess three independent variable domains: individual characteristics, workplace factors, and job satisfaction.
Outcome measures:
Burnout status (yes/no) based on abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory; prediction accuracy of each variable domain via logistic regression.
Results
- 268 of 848 podiatrists (31.6%) met criteria for burnout.
- Podiatrists with burnout were younger, more recently qualified, reported poorer health, greater mental distress, and lower scores across all measured personality traits.
- Burnout was more prevalent among those working in private practice, across multiple locations, working longer hours, seeing more patients with shorter consultation times, and more likely to bulk bill chronic disease management plans.
- Those experiencing burnout had less access to sick leave and professional development, and were significantly more likely to intend to leave patient care or the profession within 5 years.
- Prediction accuracy: individual characteristics 72.4%; workplace factors 67.1%; job satisfaction 78.8% — indicating job satisfaction as the strongest single predictor domain.
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