• Margaret Y F Chong, Sarah H X Lin, Wan Yen Lim, John Ong, KamPeter C APCA, and Sharon G K Ong.
• From the Division of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Sciences, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore (MYFC, SHXL, WYL, SGKO), the Department of Anaesthesiology, Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, (MYFC, SHXL, WYL, SGKO), the Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK (JO), the Department of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, (JO), the Department of Anaesthetics, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia (PCAK), the Department of Surgical Intensive Care, Singapore General Hospital (SGKO), Singapore, and the Duke-NUS Medical School, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore, (SGKO).
• Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2022 Apr 1; 39 (4): 368377368-377.

BackgroundBurnout is an occupational hazard precipitated by chronic exposure to excessive work-related stress. It can have negative impacts on the health and safety of patients and clinicians. Anaesthesiologists are at a high risk of burnout; anaesthetic residents especially may experience higher levels of stress as a result of training requirements and postgraduate examinations. However, the scale of burnout among anaesthesiology residents is not well evaluated.ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of burnout and identify risk factors contributing to it among anaesthesiology residents worldwide and evaluate preventive strategies at institutional and departmental levels.DesignA systematic review without meta-analysis.Data SourcesWe searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus and PsycInfo for English language articles published up to 24 May 2021.Eligibility CriteriaThe inclusion criteria for qualitative analysis were a reported burnout prevalence in anaesthesiology residents and the use of an assessment tool. Exclusion criteria were reviews/meta-analyses/correspondence, non-English articles, articles without anaesthesiology residents and lacking information on burnout prevalence and metrics for assessment.ResultsTwelve studies met the inclusion criteria; seven studies utilised the 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and five utilised the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory (aMBI). The reported burnout prevalence among anaesthesiology residents varied between 2.7 and 67.0% (median = 24.7%). Differences in burnout criteria contributed significantly to methodological heterogeneity. Factors predisposing to burnout included long working hours, poor workplace relationships, professional examinations and adverse clinical events. Protected rest time and restricted work hours were identified as effective strategies to prevent burnout. Other preventive strategies include mindfulness and resilience courses, as well as departmental initiatives such as exercise.ConclusionBurnout is common amongst anaesthesiology residents. Standardised tools and diagnostic criteria are needed to distinguish methodological heterogeneity from true heterogeneity in study populations. Interventions have been proposed to improve management strategies to minimise burnout anaesthesiology residents.Prospero ReferenceCRD42019140472.Copyright © 2021 European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.

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