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One-third of vascular surgeons self-report burnout, depression

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Three in 10 vascular surgeons met criteria for burnout and more than one-third said they had symptoms of depression, according to the results of a survey presented at the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Annual Meeting.

The researchers in 2018 sent an anonymous survey to the 2,905 active members of SVS (33% responded). Burnout was defined as a score of at least 27 on the Maslach Burnout Index emotional exhaustion module.

After exclusion of retired surgeons and incomplete responses, 872 participants (mean age, 50 years; 81% men; mean years in practice, 15.7; 40% in academic settings; 41% in community settings) were included in the analysis.

Criteria for burnout was met by 30% of respondents, Dawn M. Coleman, MD, associate professor of surgery at the University of Michigan Medical Center, said during a presentation.

In addition, 37% of participants reported symptoms of depression in the past month and 8% reported they had thoughts of taking their own life in the past 12 months, she said.

In a multivariate analysis, the following factors were independently associated with burnout:

• age (OR per 1 year = 1.31; 95% CI, 1.12-1.54);

• inadequate time with family (OR = 3.38; 95% CI, 2.11-5.4);

• moderate work-related pain (OR = 2.17; 95% CI, 1.5-3.13);

• severe work-related pain (OR = 2.95; 95% CI, 1.89-4.59);

• conflict between work and personal life (OR = 1.86; 95% CI, 1.25-2.76); and

• conflict resolved in favor of work (OR = 1.62; 95% CI, 1.13-2.31).

Three in 10 vascular surgeons met criteria for burnout and more than one-third said they had symptoms of depression, according to the results of a survey presented at the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Annual Meeting.

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“These findings will facilitate SVS efforts to improve vascular surgeon well-being, in an effort to mitigate the personal, economic and social impact of vascular surgeon burnout,” Coleman and colleagues wrote in an abstract. – by Erik Swain

Reference:

Coleman DM, et al. Abstract SS02. Presented at: Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Annual Meeting; June 12-15, 2019; National Harbor, Md.

Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.