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Research

Workload and GP burnout: a survey and register-based study in Danish general practice

Astrid Ibsen Bruun, Peter Vedsted, Henrik Schou Pedersen and Anette Fischer Pedersen
BJGP Open 2024; 8 (1): BJGPO.2023.0077. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2023.0077
Astrid Ibsen Bruun
1 Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
2 Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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  • ORCID record for Astrid Ibsen Bruun
  • For correspondence: astridibsen{at}gmail.com
Peter Vedsted
1 Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
3 Department of Clinical Medicine, Research Clinic for Innovative Patient Pathways, Silkeborg Hospital, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Henrik Schou Pedersen
1 Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
2 Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Anette Fischer Pedersen
1 Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
2 Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
4 Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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    Figure 1. The inclusion of the 312 GPs in the analyses. PLO = Danish General Practitioners Organisation

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    Table 1. Characteristics of the GPs in single-handed practices included in the study (n = 312)
    GP characteristicsn (%)
    Sex
     Female153 (49.0)
     Male159 (51.0)
    Age, years
     <4536 (11.5)
     45–5492 (29.5)
     55–6076 (24.4)
     ≥60108 (34.6)
    Composite burnout score
     3–4 (low)17 (5.4)
     5–6 (low)91 (29.2)
     7–8 (low)132 (42.3)
     9–10 (high)66 (21.2)
     11–12 (high)6 (1.9)
    Listed patients in 2019
     <160081 (26.0)
     1600–180098 (31.4)
     1801–200070 (22.4)
     >200063 (20.2)
    DADI score
     ≤24.879 (25.3)
     24.9–29.578 (25.0)
     29.6–36.081 (26.0)
     >36.074 (23.7)
    Patient-related working hours in practice, daily
     <7.540 (12.8)
     7.5–8.498 (31.4)
     8.5–9.486 (27.6)
     ≥9.588 (28.2)
    Days in practice per week
     <562 (19.9)
     5228 (73.1)
     >522 (7.1)
    Total services, daytime and OOH
     <930080 (25.6)
     9300–11 00078 (25.0)
     11 001–13 00080 (25.6)
     >13 00074 (23.7)
    Daytime services per 1000 listed patients
     <510080 (25.6)
     5100–590076 (24.4)
     5901–680074 (23.7)
     >680082 (26.3)
    Total services, OOH
     0189 (60.6)
     1–60068 (21.8)
     >60055 (17.6)
    • OOH = out of hours

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    Table 2. Risk ratio (RR) of high burnout in relation to aspects of workload for single-handed GPs (n = 312)
    High composite burnout score (9–12)
    UnadjustedAdjusteda
    n with high burnout (% of total)bRR95% CIRR95% CI
    Patient-related working hours in practice, daily
     <7.56 (15.0)refref
     7.5–8.420 (20.4)1.360.59 to 3.141.420.62 to 3.26
     8.5–9.426 (30.2)2.020.90 to 4.512.010.90 to 4.51
     ≥9.520 (22.7)1.520.66 to 3.481.540.68 to 3.53
    Days in practice per week
     <515 (24.2)1.130.68 to 1.871.140.69 to 1.87
     549 (21.5)refref
     >58 (36.4)1.690.92 to 3.102.341.62 to 3.37
    Total services, daytime and OOH
     <930020 (25.0)refref
     9300–11 00015 (19.2)0.770.43 to 1.390.720.40 to 1.27
     11 001–13 00018 (22.5)0.90.52 to 1.570.850.49 to 1.45
     >13 00019 (25.7)1.030.60 to 1.770.950.56 to 1.60
    Daytime services per 1000 listed patients
     <510020 (25.0)refref
     5100–590014 (18.4)0.740.40 to 1.350.750.41 to 1.36
     5901–680019 (25.7)1.030.60 to 1.771.080.63 to 1.83
     >680019 (23.2)0.930.54 to 1.600.890.53 to 1.50
    Total services, OOH
     038 (20.1)0.720.45 to 1.160.900.55 to 1.45
     1–60019 (27.9)refref
     >60015 (27.3)0.980.55 to 1.741.090.62 to 1.92
    • aAdjusted for age, sex, and DADI score. b n = number of burned-out GPs in each category, (%) = percentage of burned-out GPs of the total number of GPs in each category. E.g. Patient-related working hours in practice, daily, <7.5 hours, 6 GPs (15.0%) — 6 GPs with burnout in this group of 40 GPs in total in this group = 15%; 7.5–8.4 hours, 20 GPs (20.4%) — 20 GPs with burnout of 98 in total = 20.4%; 8.5–9.4 hours, 26 GPs (30.2%) — 26 GPs with burnout of 86 in total = 30.2%; ≥9.5 hours, 20 GPs (22.7%) — 20 GPs with burnout of 88 in total = 22.7%. OOH = out of hours

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Workload and GP burnout: a survey and register-based study in Danish general practice
Astrid Ibsen Bruun, Peter Vedsted, Henrik Schou Pedersen, Anette Fischer Pedersen
BJGP Open 2024; 8 (1): BJGPO.2023.0077. DOI: 10.3399/BJGPO.2023.0077

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Workload and GP burnout: a survey and register-based study in Danish general practice
Astrid Ibsen Bruun, Peter Vedsted, Henrik Schou Pedersen, Anette Fischer Pedersen
BJGP Open 2024; 8 (1): BJGPO.2023.0077. DOI: 10.3399/BJGPO.2023.0077
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Keywords

  • General practitioners
  • workload
  • professional burnout
  • Family practice
  • Denmark

More in this TOC Section

  • Professionals’ views and experiences of the TrainDEEP (TRaining Assistance INitiative in DEep End Practices) pilot: transforming GP practices into training practices in disadvantaged areas in the North East of England
  • The work of the consultation in general practice: a comparison of affluent and deprived areas of Scotland using a novel consultation workload index
  • Planetary health in general practice: a cross-sectional survey in France
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