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Table 3 Survey respondent experiences with occupational burnout

From: Burnout and use of HIV services among health care workers in Lusaka District, Zambia: a cross-sectional study

Questionnaire Item

N

n (%)

Using your own definition of 'burnout', please circle one of the following:

422

 

   I have no symptoms of burnout.

 

29 (6.9%)

   Sometimes I am under stress, but I don't feel burned out.

 

177 (42.0%)

   I am definitely burning out and have occasional symptoms of burnout.

 

98 (23.3%)

   The symptoms of burnout that I'm experiencing won't go away.

 

18 (4.3%)

   I feel completely burned out. I am at the point where I need to make some changes or seek some sort of help.

 

99 (23.5%)

I am so burned out that I cannot manage to go for work.

427

 

   Never

 

134 (31.4%)

   A few times a year

 

101 (23.7%)

   Once a month

 

52 (12.2%)

   Once a week

 

66 (15.5%)

   Every Day

 

45 (10.5%)

I have become harsh towards my patients.

437

 

   Never

 

201 (46.0%)

   A few times a year

 

123 (28.2%)

   Once a month

 

17 (3.9%)

   Once a week

 

30 (6.9%)

   Every Day

 

17 (3.9%)

I do not feel I can sympathize with my clients

397

 

   Never

 

229 (57.7%)

   A few times a year

 

58 (14.6%)

   Once a month

 

13 (3.3%)

   Once a week

 

12 (3.0%)

   Every Day

 

25 (6.3%)

How many health care workers in your department have left their position in the last 2 years? median (IQR)

383

2.0 (1.0–4.0)

Why did they leave? (more than one answer possible)

  

   Better pay

 

431 (40.2%)

   Constantly overstressed: a type of burnout

 

94 (8.8%)

   Constantly overworked: a type of burnout

 

131 (12.2%)

   Moving or leaving the area

 

175 (16.3%)

   Died

 

83 (7.7%)

   Personal health reasons

 

57 (5.3%)

Do you work at another job to earn extra income?

458

161 (35.2%)

   I work at a private health facility

 

124 (77.0%)

   I work at a non-health facility

 

7 (4.3%)

   I am self-employed

 

32 (19.9%)

How much leave have you taken in the last 12 months? (mean ± SD)

389

28.7 ± 34.8