Prevalence and predictors of staff burnout at a tertiary cancer center in Jordan

Omar Shamieh; Waleed Alrjoub; Ghadeer Alarjeh; Khawlah Ammar; Mohammad Abu Hazim; Tayseer Shawash; Osama Zamel; Maysa Al-Hussaini; Majeda Al-Ruzzieh; Hikmat Abdel-Razeq; Asem Mansour; Omar Shamieh; Waleed Alrjoub; Ghadeer Alarjeh; Khawlah Ammar; Mohammad Abu Hazim; Tayseer Shawash; Osama Zamel; Maysa Al-Hussaini; Majeda Al-Ruzzieh; Hikmat Abdel-Razeq; Asem Mansour

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2025026

AIMS Public Health

2025, Volume 12, Issue 2: 470-490. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2025026

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Research article Special Issues

Prevalence and predictors of staff burnout at a tertiary cancer center in Jordan

1.
Department of Palliative Care, King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC), Amman, Jordan
2.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
3.
Centre for Palliative and Cancer Care in Conflict (CPCCC), KHCC, Amman, Jordan
4.
Survey research unit, Office of Scientific Affairs and Research, KHCC, Amman, Jordan
5.
Psychosocial Oncology Program, KHCC, Amman, Jordan
6.
The Jordanian Centre for Psychological & Educational Consultation & Therapy, Amman, Jordan
7.
Department of Internal Medicine, KHCC, Amman, Jordan
8.
Department of Cell Therapy and Applied Genomics (CTAG), KHCC, Amman, Jordan
9.
Office of Nursing, KHCC, Amman, Jordan
10.
Department of Radiology, KHCC, Amman, Jordan

Received: 05 November 2024 Revised: 31 December 2024 Accepted: 07 March 2025 Published: 15 April 2025

Burnout among oncology healthcare providers (HCPs) poses significant challenges to both personal well-being and patient care quality. To inform targeted interventions, this study assessed burnout prevalence and its predictors among HCPs in a tertiary cancer center in Jordan. A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 10, 2023, to April 14, 2024, using an online questionnaire available in both English and Arabic. The survey, distributed via email and social media, included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and sociodemographic items. Descriptive statistics, binary logistic, and group comparisons analyzed the relationships between demographic/work characteristics, depression, and burnout. Of 996 respondents, 692 (69.4%) completed the survey. Most participants were male (54.6%) and Muslim (98.3%), with 41.6% aged under 30. Respondents included physicians (17.1%), nurses (28.0%), and other healthcare roles (54.9%). Burnout levels were high, with 75.7% reporting high emotional exhaustion (EE), 35.3% experiencing high depersonalization (DP), and 27.2% showing low personal accomplishment (PA). Binary logistic regression analysis identified significant predictors of high EE, including lower income (<500 JD ≈ 705 USD, p = 0.004), thoughts of quitting (p = 0.000), and lack of burnout training (p = 0.007). High DP was associated with a lack of hobbies (p = 0.003) and thoughts of quitting (p = 0.000), while low PA was linked to a higher patient caseload (p = 0.000). Elevated PHQ-9 scores, indicative of depression, were significantly correlated with increased burnout across all dimensions (p < 0.001). In conclusion, burnout is highly prevalent among oncology HCPs in Jordan, with strong associations between burnout and specific demographic and work-related factors. Targeted interventions emphasizing stress management, organizational support, and effective coping mechanisms are crucial to mitigate burnout and enhance job satisfaction among oncology staff.
- burnout in oncology,
- emotional exhaustion,
- depersonalization,
- personal accomplishment,
- mental health,
- Jordan healthcare,
- Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI),
- occupational stress,
- Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9),
- job satisfaction
Citation: Omar Shamieh, Waleed Alrjoub, Ghadeer Alarjeh, Khawlah Ammar, Mohammad Abu Hazim, Tayseer Shawash, Osama Zamel, Maysa Al-Hussaini, Majeda Al-Ruzzieh, Hikmat Abdel-Razeq, Asem Mansour. Prevalence and predictors of staff burnout at a tertiary cancer center in Jordan[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2025, 12(2): 470-490. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2025026

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Abstract

Burnout among oncology healthcare providers (HCPs) poses significant challenges to both personal well-being and patient care quality. To inform targeted interventions, this study assessed burnout prevalence and its predictors among HCPs in a tertiary cancer center in Jordan. A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 10, 2023, to April 14, 2024, using an online questionnaire available in both English and Arabic. The survey, distributed via email and social media, included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and sociodemographic items. Descriptive statistics, binary logistic, and group comparisons analyzed the relationships between demographic/work characteristics, depression, and burnout. Of 996 respondents, 692 (69.4%) completed the survey. Most participants were male (54.6%) and Muslim (98.3%), with 41.6% aged under 30. Respondents included physicians (17.1%), nurses (28.0%), and other healthcare roles (54.9%). Burnout levels were high, with 75.7% reporting high emotional exhaustion (EE), 35.3% experiencing high depersonalization (DP), and 27.2% showing low personal accomplishment (PA). Binary logistic regression analysis identified significant predictors of high EE, including lower income (<500 JD ≈ 705 USD, p = 0.004), thoughts of quitting (p = 0.000), and lack of burnout training (p = 0.007). High DP was associated with a lack of hobbies (p = 0.003) and thoughts of quitting (p = 0.000), while low PA was linked to a higher patient caseload (p = 0.000). Elevated PHQ-9 scores, indicative of depression, were significantly correlated with increased burnout across all dimensions (p < 0.001). In conclusion, burnout is highly prevalent among oncology HCPs in Jordan, with strong associations between burnout and specific demographic and work-related factors. Targeted interventions emphasizing stress management, organizational support, and effective coping mechanisms are crucial to mitigate burnout and enhance job satisfaction among oncology staff.

Authors' contribution

Omar Shamieh: study conceptualization, design, supervision, data interpretation, and manuscript preparation. Waleed Alrjoub: literature review, Designing, Supervision, analysis, interpretation, and drafting sections of the manuscript. Ghadeer Alarjeh: data collection, organization, and manuscript drafting. Khawlah Ammar: statistical analysis. Mohammad Abuhazim: psychosocial outcomes design and data interpretation. Tayseer Shawash: study oversight and clinical data interpretation. Osama Zamel: Critical manuscript revision for intellectual content. Maysa Al-Hussaini: Critical manuscript revision for intellectual content. Majeda Al-Ruzzieh: Clinical insights, manuscript drafting, and editing. Hikmat Abdel-Razeq: study design, clinical insights, and manuscript review. Asem Mansour: study oversight, final manuscript revision, and approval for publication.

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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