Keywords
How to Cite
Abstract
Background. Burnout is a common occupational health concern among early-career physicians due to long working hours, challenging clinical responsibilities and high patient care demand. It can affect both clinicians and the quality of patient care. However, limited evidence exists regarding differences in burnout levels among medical house officers in Karachi.
Aim. To compare burnout among house officers working in government and private hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods. A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted, including 300 house officers aged 22 to 35 who were recruited from government and private hospitals in Karachi through stratified random sampling. Burnout was measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel (MBI-HSS-MP), which yields scores for emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA). Scores were compared across the two hospital sectors using independent-samples t-tests.
Results. Emotional exhaustion was higher in government hospitals than in private hospitals (M = 31.63, SD = 7.73 vs. M = 25.64, SD = 6.04; t(298) = 7.40, p < .001, d = 0.86). Depersonalization was also higher in government settings (M = 15.94 vs. 14.09; t(298) = 3.64, p < .001, d = 0.42), and personal accomplishment was lower (M = 24.21 vs. 30.86; t(298) = −7.44, p < .001, d = 0.86). The composite MBI score did not differ significantly between sectors (t(298) = 1.09, p = .28).
Conclusion. House officers in government hospitals reported greater emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and lower personal accomplishment than those in private hospitals, although overall (composite) burnout was similar across sectors. The dimension-level differences point to a need for sector-specific support for early-career physicians in Pakistan’s public hospitals.