Burnout syndrome is a response to prolonged occupational stress that involves three main dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of burnout syndrome, socio-demographic characteristics, and working conditions among intensive care physicians. Across-sectional study was performed to evaluate physicians working in ICUs in the city of Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil. We studied 297 physicians, the majority of whom were male (70%). Mean age and time since graduation were 34.2 and 9 years, respectively. High levels of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment were found in 47.5%, 24.6%, and 28.3%, respectively. Prevalence of burnout syndrome, defined as a high score in at least one dimension, was 63.3%, while prevalence was 7.4% for all three dimensions. In conclusion, burnout syndrome was common in this sample of ICU physicians.
Working conditions; Stress; Burnout, Professional; Intensive Care Units