A study of the incidence of Burnout Syndrome among anesthesiologists and anesthesiology residents in Syria.
Authors: Fallouh Deema , Alkurdi Abdulkarim Alobid , Rekmani Najwa , Latifeh Youssef 
Published: May 2023

Background:
Occupational Burnout is a syndrome which appears as a result of severe chronic stress in working environment, it affects the individual and his surrounding negatively, besides lowering his professional performance. High rates of incidence were noted inside the medical field especially among anesthesiologists. This syndrome happens in a cumulative way and develops over time so it's very important to prevent it or diagnose it at early stages.
Objectives:
This study aims to know the incidence of occupational burnout syndrome among anesthesiologists and anesthesiology residents in Syria. Also, to know its symptoms, the factors that led to it and the way it affects physicians and their work. In addition, we are hoping to raise awareness toward it and propose solutions to prevent and reduce it.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was performed on 227 doctors in Syria, between April and July 2022. It’s a web based study, the questionnaire was published online using social media in Arabic. It includes several parts: informed consent, demographic characteristics and some work-related questions (Appendix I), in addition to Maslach Global Scale questions (Appendix II).
Results:
Our results were reported in tables and figures; we summarized them with the following:
· The percentage of male participating doctors was higher than that of females
· The percentage of residents was higher than that of specialists.
· The percentage of non-smokers and non-alcoholics was high.
· The percentage of married people was higher than others.
· The largest percentage worked in Damascus governorate.
· The percentage of working in more than one hospital was higher.
· The percentage of the average economic level was the highest.
· The largest percentage of doctors answered that there are professional problems and conflicts, legal or judicial concerns, and the lack of independence at work or sufficient free time.
· The largest percentage of the participants did not suffer from mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.
· The higher percentage of the participants was suffering from a high degree of job fatigue, depersonalization, and a low degree of personal achievement.
· Functional fatigue and depersonalization are proportional to the increase in the average number of working hours, the average number of night shifts, and the existence of legal and judicial concerns. Also, with younger age. An inverse relationship, as the free time increased, the two criteria decreased. independence in decision-making played a major role in increasing the degree of personal achievements.
Conclusion:
This study was made in order to obtain results that may contribute to design programs to raise awareness, early diagnosis, and the correct handling of these cases. We also focused on the causative factors in order to avoid changeable factors such as the work environment, the number of working hours and shifts. This matter should be taken seriously, we encourage the responsible authorities to reduce this syndrome, and to pay attention to the importance of mental disorders and diseases, and the importance of anesthesiology and its impact on medicine as a whole, and especially on surgeries.