• Adenekan Oyefeso, Carmel Clancy, and Roger Farmer.
• Division of Mental Health, Medical School, St George's, University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK. sgju980@sgul.ac.uk
• Bmc Health Serv Res. 2008 Jan 1;8:39.

BackgroundStudies of psychological stress among substance misuse professionals rarely describe the nature of burnout and psychological morbidity. The main aim of this study was to determine the extent, pattern and predictors of psychological morbidity and burnout among substance misuse professionals.MethodsThis study was a cross-sectional mail survey of 194 clinical staff of substance misuse services in the former South Thames region of England, using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) as measures of psychological morbidity and burnout, respectively.ResultsRates of psychological morbidity (82%: 95% CI = 76-87) and burnout (high emotional exhaustion - 33% [27-40]; high depersonalisation - 17% [12-23]; and diminished personal accomplishment - 36% [29-43]) were relatively high in the study sample. High levels of alienation and tension (job stressors) predicted emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation (burnout) but not psychological morbidity. Diminished personal accomplishment was associated with higher levels of psychological morbidityConclusionIn the sample of substance misuse professionals studied, rates of psychological morbidity and burnout were high, suggesting a higher level of vulnerability than in other health professionals. Furthermore, pathways to psychological morbidity and burnout are partially related. Therefore, targeted response is required to manage stress, burnout and psychological morbidity among substance misuse professionals. Such a response should be integral to workforce development.

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