A Study on Occupational Stress and Burnout among Cardiologists:A Cross-Cultural Perspective

With the current upsurge in stressful factors in everyday life, cardiac problems have increased at a rapid rate which in turn increases the burden of medical practitioners serving in this specific field. Research has focused little on the Occupational Stress and Burnout of Cardiologists. The aim of the current study is to explore the differences existing among Cardiologists belonging to eastern and western regions of India with respect to Occupational Stress and Burnout. The study further seeks to find out any differences existing among male and female Cardiologists belonging to eastern and western regions of India with respect to Occupational Stress and Burnout. It also seeks to probe into any differences existing among Cardiologist belonging to eastern and western regions of India with respect to the aforesaid variables on the basis of presence or absence of psychiatric morbidity in them. Using General Health Questionnaire a total sample of 180 Cardiologists was screened on Psychiatric Morbidity after they met the selection criteria. The sample was divided into two groups based on eastern and western region of India. These groups were further divided on the basis of their gender and Psychiatric morbidity sample were selected on the basis there consent and inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were assessed using the Occupational Stress Index and the Burnout Inventory. Results revealed that there are significant differences among cardiologists belonging to eastern and western regions of India with respect to role overload, role conflict, role ambiguity, and responsibility to persons, low status, unreasonable group and political pressure, profitability, strenuous working condition that contributes to high occupational stress in them. It further reveals that there are also significant difference existing among cardiologists belonging to eastern and western region of India with respect to distancing, neglecting, non accomplishment, friction, emotional exhaustion and depersonalize that contributes to significant burnout. Significant differences were found to be present in these two groups with the respect to the aforementioned variables when compared on the basis of their gender and psychiatric morbidity. The study shows that cultural differences exist among Cardiologists with respect to stress and burnout in the workplace.