Prevalence and Risk Factors of Burnout Among Chinese Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeons

Background: Burnout is an occupational hazard among Chinese pediatric orthopedists, characterized by extreme physical and emotional exhaustion, and reduced professional efficacy; however, it has yet to be studied among this group of professionals in China. Our study aimed to assess the levels of burnout in Chinese pediatric orthopedists, and to identify the potential risk factors for burnout. Methods: A 32-question, anonymous, cross-sectional survey was conducted from August to September 2019. Overall, 1392 Chinese pediatric orthopedists participated in the survey. Results: Seven hundred valid questionnaires (50.3% response rate) were retrieved from 387 (55.3%) and 313 (44.7%) full-time and part-time pediatric orthopedists, respectively. Overall, 73.7% of the participants experienced burnout, of which 64.7% and 9.0% had some and severe burnout symptoms, respectively. The burnout levels significantly differed based on age (P=0.005), years in service (P=0.006), professional rank (P=0.03), weekly working hours (P<0.001), and monthly income (P=0.03). A binary logistic regression model showed that longer weekly working hours (adjusted odds ratio=1.29, 95% confidence interval: 1.09-1.52, P=0.004) was a risk factor for burnout, while higher monthly income (adjusted odds ratio=0.78, 95% confidence interval: 0.64 to 0.95, P=0.02) was protective against burnout, suggesting that younger pediatric orthopedists were more susceptible. No significant difference between full-time and part-time pediatric orthopedists or between sexes was detected in the adjusted analysis. Conclusions: Chinese pediatric orthopedists have a relatively high rate of burnout. Younger pediatric orthopedists have a greater chance of experiencing burnout. These results highlight the need for further policies, especially focused on younger pediatric orthopedists, to assist in better developing Chinese pediatric orthopedics.