Background: Physician burnout is a growing issue that affects both the quality of healthcare and the mental well-being of medical professionals. However, research on this phenomenon in Ecuador is limited and methodologically deficient. The objective of this study was to examine the national prevalence of burnout among Ecuadorian physicians, its associated factors, and its impact on mental health. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1976 physicians from all provincial capitals of Ecuador (51.8% women; mean age: 37.1 years). Results: It was found that 25.3% of physicians had high levels of emotional exhaustion and 23.8% had high levels of depersonalization. Factors associated with the higher levels of emotional exhaustion among physicians included part-time jobs, long working hours, work–family conflicts, psychological inflexibility, and perceived loneliness. Higher levels of depersonalization were associated with working shifts, having work–family conflicts, exhibiting psychological inflexibility, and perceived loneliness, while lower levels of depersonalization were associated with being female. Experiencing higher levels of depersonalization were associated with suffering from higher levels of depression, while having higher levels of emotional exhaustion were associated with suffering from higher levels of stress. Conclusions: A considerable proportion of Ecuadorian physicians suffer from burnout. Preventive programs and psychological interventions tailored to their specific needs should be developed.

El burnout constituye un fenómeno global, especialmente en el ámbito de profesionales de lasalud por las características propias de estos profesionales supondría una mayor vulnerabilidad (Gluschkoff, Elovainio, Kinnunen, Mullola, Hintsanen, Keltikangas-Järvinen y Hintsa, 2016;). La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo identificar el burnout y la relación con los rasgos de personalidad (extroversión, psicoticismo, neuroticismo). Se utilizó una metodología descriptiva y correlacional, con una muestra de accesibilidad no probalística de 149 médicos de la zona sur del Ecuador.Los instrumentos utilizados fueron Inventario de Maslach [MBI-HSS] y el cuestionario de personalidad de Eysenck Revisado- [EPQR-A]. Entre los resultados relevantes se obtuvo una prevalencia de 2.7% del síndrome de burnout, en cuanto al agotamiento emocional 25.5% un nivel alto, en despersonalización el 10.7% un nivel alto y el 59.1% tiene baja realización personal. Como conclusiones generales se pudo identificar una correlación significativa entre neuroticismo y el burnout y con las dimensiones agotamiento emocional; despersonalización, así como también entre extroversión y despersonalización.

Background/Objectives: Although burnout among physicians is a serious and growing problem in healthcare, research on this issue in Ecuador is scarce and suffers from methodological limita-tions. This study examined the prevalence of burnout among Ecuadorian medical professionals at the national level, as well as its correlates and consequences on their mental health. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 1,976 physicians (51.8% women, mean age 37.1 years) from all provincial capitals of Ecuador. The presence of burnout was assessed, as well as sociodemographic, organizational, and psychological variables (including psychological in-flexibility, perceived loneliness, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress). Results: Notably, 9.0% of physicians exhibited burnout syndrome. Working in shifts for more than eight hours a day, having work-family conflict, psychological inflexibility, and perceived loneliness were associated with an increased risk of suffering burnout. Meanwhile, being a woman was associated with a decrease in risk. The presence of burnout significantly increased the risk of experiencing depressive and stress symptoms. Conclusions: Clearly, a significant number of medical professionals suffer from burnout. As such, stakeholders should promote the develop-ment of prevention programs that incorporate the insights from this and other studies to design effective psychological interventions for burnout adapted to the specific needs of this population.

Background/Objectives: Evidence concerning emotional exhaustion among nursing assistants in Ecuador remains limited. This exploratory cross-sectional study examined associations of sleep quality, psychological inflexibility, and study-specific work–private-life interference with emotional exhaustion. The focus on emotional exhaustion as the sole outcome was selected during manuscript revision and was not prospectively prespecified. Methods: This analysis included 314 nursing assistants recruited through convenience sampling; 290 had calculable Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores and contributed to PSQI-dependent regression models. Emotional exhaustion was assessed using the nine-item Maslach Burnout Inventory subscale, psychological inflexibility using the AAQ-II, and work–private-life interference using three study-specific binary items. Ordinary least squares regression with HC3 heteroscedasticity-consistent standard errors was evaluated using Python (statsmodels). Results: Of 290 participants with valid PSQI scores, 144 (49.7%) had scores above five. In the main model (R² = 0.432), poorer sleep quality (B = 0.915, 95% CI 0.599–1.231), higher AAQ-II scores (B = 0.196, 95% CI 0.054–0.338), and greater work–private-life interference (B = 3.386, 95% CI 2.454–4.317) were associated with higher emotional exhaustion. Associations persisted after adjustment for age, sex, and shift work. In an exploratory model additionally accounting for concurrent depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms, the AAQ-II association was no longer statistically significant (B = 0.058, p = 0.400). Conclusions: Sleep quality and study-specific work–private-life interference were consistently associated with emotional exhaustion. The cross-sectional design, non-probability sampling, and exploratory analyses preclude causal or population-level inferences.

Background/Objectives: Burnout is a multidimensional occupational-health concern in nursing, yet post-pandemic evidence from Ecuador remains limited. This exploratory study aimed to identify sociodemographic and work-related characteristics independently associated with emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment among nursing professionals, using separate adjusted models. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed primary data from 462 nursing professionals participating in a national Ecuadorian research project. Burnout was assessed with the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). Separate multivariable ordinary least-squares models with HC3 robust standard errors were fitted for each dimension, with Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) correction across 24 non-intercept coefficients. Results: Mean scores were 17.09 (SD = 11.28) for emotional exhaustion, 6.61 (SD = 6.06) for depersonalization, and 30.99 (SD = 11.61) for personal accomplishment; using historical descriptive thresholds, 19.0% scored in the high emotional-exhaustion range, 32.2% in the high depersonalization range, and 52.7% in the low personal-accomplishment range. Older age was associated with lower emotional exhaustion (B = −0.211; 95% CI, −0.347 to −0.074; p_adj = 0.012), lower depersonalization (B = −0.122; 95% CI, −0.191 to −0.054; p_adj = 0.005), and higher personal accomplishment (B = 0.238; 95% CI, 0.098 to 0.377; p_adj = 0.005). Male sex was associated with higher depersonalization (B = 3.068; 95% CI, 1.499 to 4.637; p_adj = 0.003). Moderate (B = 4.134; p_adj = 0.014) and little/none (B = 6.958; p_adj = 0.005) institutional resource availability were associated with higher emotional exhaustion compared with full availability. Conclusions: Older age was associated with lower emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and higher personal accomplishment; male sex was associated with higher depersonalization, and lower perceived institutional resource availability with higher emotional exhaustion. These cross-sectional associations do not establish causation. Longitudinal research directly measuring organizational demands and resources is warranted.