Community pharmacists' burnout levels and related factors: an example from Turkey

Int J Clin Pharm. 2011 Feb;33(1):92-100. doi: 10.1007/s11096-010-9461-2. Epub 2011 Jan 13.

Abstract

Objective: To determine community pharmacists' burnout levels and prevalences as well as factors associated with burnout.

Setting: Study was conducted in Ankara, the capital of Turkey.

Method: In this cross-sectional study, 251 pharmacists were randomly selected from 1,504 community pharmacists registered in Ankara Chamber of Pharmacists. A questionnaire including questions related to pharmacists' individual and professional characteristics and Maslach Burnout Inventory was administered. The data was collected between February 27 and May 25, 2007.

Main outcome measure: Three Maslach Burnout Inventory subscales (emotional exhaustion-EE, depersonalization-D, and personal accomplishment-PA) scores.

Results: Pharmacists' mean emotional exhaustion score was found to be 16.84 (SD: 6.25), depersonalization score was 4 (Range: 0-14), and personal accomplishment score was 22 (Range: 9-32). Of the pharmacists, 1.2% had high level of EE, .8% had high level of D, and 71.3% had high level of inefficacy. Age, marital status, work experience, work contentment, workload, time pressure, stress, and satisfaction with customers were found to be related with pharmacists' burnout levels.

Conclusion: It can be useful to monitor pharmacists' burnout levels and prevalences periodically. Interventions on individual and organizational basis were needed to cope with burnout, respond to job demands, minimize the level of chronic stress, and increase work contentment and satisfaction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Burnout, Professional*
  • Community Pharmacy Services
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pharmacies*
  • Pharmacists / psychology*
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Stress, Psychological / etiology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Turkey