EC Psychology and Psychiatry

The aim of this study is to review the current state of published literature (1993-2022) on the prevalence of burnout among pooled physicians regardless their specialties and professional rank in Saudi Arabia. Health care services organizations and researchers would be benefited from the outcome of this review. PubMed and Google Scholar were the source of data. Published original studies in English language, applied Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) as a tool to assess burnout prevalence. Twenty two Cross-sectional independent original studies published between 2005 and 2022 and consisted of 3329 participants were included in this study. The estimated arithmetic mean of seven studies for EE score is 20.3329 ± 5.3460, 95% CI 16.3728 - 24.2930, DP score 9.0214 ± 1.9322, 95% CI 7.5883 - 10.4525, and PA score 25.5614 ± 10.39, 95% CI 17.8647 - 33.2581. The cut-off score values were variable between studies, for high emotional exhaustion (HEE) score were ≥ 26, ≥ 27, ≥ 28, and ≥ 30, high depersonalization (HDP) ≥ 9, ≥ 10, ≥ 11, ≥ 12, and ≥ 13, and low personal accomplishment (LPA) ≤ 29, ≤ 30, ≤ 31, and ≤ 33. Estimated arithmetic mean and 95% confidence intervals of burnout prevalence rate based on HEE, HDP, and LPA percentage (19 studies) were HEE 42.7032%, (33.5707% - 51.8317%); HDP 39.8753%, (35.9915 - 47.4875); and LPA 39.0874%, (29.0954 - 49.0794). Estimated arithmetic mean and 95% confidence intervals of burnout prevalence rate based on tri-dimensional burnout criteria HEE, HDP, and LPA is 15.6043, (8.6030 - 22.6056|). There was variation between studies in methodology, cut-off score, burnout definition and expression, and data presentation.

Keywords: Burnout; Physician Burnout; Burnout Prevalence; Saudi Physician; Maslach Burnout Inventory

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