Stress Levels in Anesthesiologists and Intensivists: A Prospective Multicenter Observational Study

Vollständiger Abstract

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Anesthesiology and intensive care medicine is one of the medical specialties in which professional practice is associated with frequent stress and the development of burnout syndrome. Objective : To assess the level of stress in anesthesiologists and intensivist according to the characteristics of their professional practice and length of clinical experience. Materials and methods : An anonymous survey was conducted among 138 anesthesiologists and intensivists, including 79 (57.2%) women and 59 (42.8%) men. The questionnaire included 11 items assessing the social status, length of clinical experience, and professional practice characteristics. A modified stress index including Booth and Schaeffer stress causes/signs was used to assess stress levels. Results : Among the respondents, 73 (52.9%) were residents/trainee physicians, 19 (13.8%) had less than five years of experience, 13 (9.4%) had 5-10 years, 2 (1.4%) had 10-15 years, 4 (2.8%) – 15-20 years and 28 (20.3%) specialists had more than 20 years. A total of 101 (73.2%) physicians worked in the anesthesiology and intensive care department of a multidisciplinary hospital, whereas 15 (10.9%) were employed in a general intensive care unit. Overall, 89 (64.5%) respondents were married. The median stress score was 0.34 (0.25-0.43), indicating a moderate level of stress. The lowest stress level was recorded among physicians aged 45-55 years (0.29); however, no statistically significant differences were found between age groups. The lowest stress scores were observed among physicians working in anesthesiology and intensive care departments (0.32), whereas the highest scores were observed among physicians working in specialized intensive care units (0.43). Weak but statistically significant negative correlations were found between stress levels and family status, as well as between stress levels and having a hobby (R = -0.23; R = -0.17). Conclusion: The severity of stress among anesthesiologists and intensivists is not associated with the age and length of professional experience of the specialists. The lowest stress index was observed among physicians aged 45-55 years working in anesthesiology and intensive care units.