Researchers from the department of psychology at University College London assessed the causes of burnout and stress in a three-year study of more than 300 doctors. The findings are published in the latest issue of The Lancet. Questionnaires were used to assess the causal factors underlying stress and burnout among 331 randomly selected UK doctors who had been balanced for age, sex, and whether they worked in primary and secondary care. They found that high levels of emotional exhaustion and stress were reciprocally linked. The other two contributory factors, namely depersonalization, where patients are regarded as objects rather than people, and low personal accomplishment, also influenced stress levels. High levels of personal accomplishment increased stress levels, whereas depersonalization lowered stress levels. The researchers conclude that an increasing emphasis on higher professional standards might increase stress and burnout, whereas increased depersonalization could act as a defense against stress. They say that because emotional exhaustion is the leading contributory factor in stress, any efforts to reduce stress levels should focus on reducing emotional exhaustion, perhaps through smaller workloads. This week, consultants agreed draft proposals with the government for a new contract, which includes a core working week of 10 four-hour sessions.
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