Burnout and career satisfaction in neuro-oncology: a survey of the Society for Neuro-Oncology and the European Association of Neuro-Oncology memberships

Background. Professional burnout is a syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and loss of personal achievement. Burnout is a significant issue among health care providers, and neuro-oncology providers may be at high risk. We conducted a survey to evaluate burnout and career satisfaction among those caring for patients with brain tumors, and to identify risk factors for burnout. Methods. We distributed an anonymous online survey to Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) members in 2016 and to European Association of Neuro-Oncology (EANO) members in 2017.The survey comprised questions about personal and professional characteristics and the validated Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) questionnaire. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariate analyses, and incorporation of recently defined burnout profiles. Results. Sixty-three percent of SNO and 61% of EANO participants were identified as having high burnout according to MBI-HSS. Among SNO participants, physicians had a lower rate of high burnout (61%) compared with allied health professionals (68%, P< 0.01) and basic scientists (83%, P< 0.01). Regarding the factors most commonly contributing to high burnout, SNO participants most commonly experienced high emotional exhaustion (4.8% of SNO participants vs 34% of EANO participants), whereas EANO participants most commonly experienced low personal achievement (40% vs 28%). Among both SNO and EANO participants, increasing job satisfaction reduced the likelihood of high burnout. Conclusions. The prevalence of burnout among neuro-oncology professionals is high and personal risk factors were identified. Burnout profiles recognize a continuum of well-being and warrant further research.