Work demands and well-being: A comparative analysis amongst Swedish and Catalan physicians

This paper set out to explore a problem which directly affects medical staff and hospitals around the world, as well as affecting the quality of working life of professionals. An extended rationale borrowed from configurational conceptual contributions was used in this empirical study to test multiple possible linkages (or profiles) between certain personal, organizational, and cultural variables that affect burnout. An innovative statistical treatment borrowed from data mining methodology was used to compare two distinct national and organizational contexts. A self-administered questionnaire from a sample of 1509 physicians working in the Swedish and Spanish (Catalan) public hospitals was used. Standardized job/work demands with multiple items were employed in conjunction with the Uppsala Burnout scale, which was dichotomized into high score (burnout) and low score (vigor). A combination of ANOVAs and "classification and regression tree analyses" was utilized to test the relationships and identify profiles. Traditionally, the burnout syndrome has been viewed as a problem intrinsic to performing a care-related activity. However, the results of this study appear to suggest that the psychosocial risk associated with practice of the medical profession is also related to the socio-cultural context. Professional and personal profiles involving risk factors for burnout were identified. Similarly, a configuration of factors explaining vigor was identified as well. The results obtained in Catalonia were compared with those obtained in Sweden. Findings show that in Catalonia it appears that the psychosocial risk associated with practising the medical profession is related to the socio-cultural context. For example, factors such as those linked to job dissatisfaction and the perceived workload, among others. By contrast, in the case of Sweden, factors linked to gender equality at work predominated the profile of higher burnout risk. Identifying risk configuration is of interest in view of designing prevention program. Given the different configurations, a suggestion is made to tailor fit the preventative programs in order to make them more effective in preventing burnout. The vigor profiles can be used as benchmark for medical doctors in making career and other employment related decisions.