The Association between Burnout and Metabolic Syndrome among the Staff of a Private Hospital in Songkhla Province
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hospital staff in private hospitals work under substantial pressure, thus predisposing these individuals to burnout, which may be associated with metabolic abnormalities through chronic stress mechanisms. However, empirical evidence regarding the association between burnout and metabolic syndrome among private hospital staff in Thailand remains limited.
OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between burnout and metabolic syndrome (including its individual components) among hospital staff in a private hospital.
METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional analytical study was conducted by using secondary data obtained from annual health examinations and burnout assessments of 477 hospital staff. Burnout was evaluated by using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the Harmonized Definition (2009). Associations were analyzed by using multivariable logistic regression with adjustments for potential confounding factors.
RESULTS: The prevalences of burnout and metabolic syndrome were 15.5% and 24.7%, respectively. No association was observed between burnout and metabolic syndrome (adjusted odds ratio=1.53; 95%CI: 0.86–2.70). Similarly, no association was observed between burnout and any of the five individual components of metabolic syndrome after adjustments for confounding factors.
CONCLUSIONS: Burnout was not associated with metabolic syndrome in the study population. This relationship may be indirect or may require long-term cumulative exposure to chronic stress. Longitudinal studies are warranted to further clarify the underlying mechanisms involved.
Thaiclinicaltrials.org number, TCTR20260122003
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