Will sick leave after a counselling intervention prevent later burnout? A 3-year follow-up study of Norwegian doctors
Auteur Karin E Isaksson Ro
Auteur Reidar Tyssen
Auteur Tore Gude
Auteur Olaf G Aasland
Résumé UNLABELLED Introduction: Burnout and mental distress in working doctors increase the risk for both suboptimal treatment of patients and negative health consequences for the doctors. Doctors have low rates of sickness absence and are reluctant to seek help, especially for mental distress. We examined whether a spell of sickness absence after a counselling intervention could predict reduction in emotional exhaustion among doctors at work 3 years later. METHODS A 3-year follow up after a counselling intervention for burnout at the Resource Centre Villa Sana in Norway in 2003-05 was completed by 184/227 doctors. Self-report assessments were administered at baseline, 1-, and 3-years. The effect of number of weeks of sickness absence on reduction in emotional exhaustion among doctors working 3 years after the intervention was assessed by linear regression. RESULTS Of the 184 doctors completing assessment, 149 were working at 3-year follow up. Emotional exhaustion (scale 1-5) was significantly reduced at follow up (from 3.00±0.96 to 2.37±0.79, p<0.001). The number of weeks of sickness absence after the intervention was a significant positive predictor of this reduction (β=0.31, p<0.001), also after including sex, age, neuroticism, reduction of work hours, and other forms for treatment in the model. CONCLUSIONS The number of weeks of sickness absence after a counselling intervention for burnout had a positive predictive effect on reduction in emotional exhaustion among doctors at work 3 years later. Sick leave thus seems to « prevent » later burnout, which can be of importance both for their patients and for the doctors themselves.
Publication Scandinavian journal of public health
Volume 40
Numéro 3
Pages 278-285
Date May 2012
Chercher cette référence sur : Google Scholar, Worldcat
doi:10.1177/1403494812443607
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