Introduction: Work in the field of healthcare is accompanied by considerable emotional tension. Pharmacists are at risk of professional burnout, but so far, there is very little scientific research in this professional group in Bulgaria. Objective: To study the presence of Burnout Syndrome among Bulgarian pharmacists and perform an analysis according to the demographic characteristics of respondents. Material and Methods: A pilot study was conducted for the presence of Burnout Syndrome among 142 pharmacists in Varna, Bulgaria, working in different areas of the pharmaceutical sector: pharmacies for public services, hospital pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, higher education institution. The information was collected using an anonymous questionnaire that included the specialized Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) tool to examine professional burnout according to three subscales: emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment. Results: Higher levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation were found in male respondents in comparison to women, while the values between the two genders were almost similar according to the professional achievement subscale. The most vulnerable group was the male group at the age of 31-40. Pharmacists over the age of 50 had lower levels of burnout as they had developed good habits to deal with stress. Conclusion: Gaining professional experience in pharmacists is associated with an increase in the levels of professional burnout. High levels of depersonalisation are a prerequisite for worse quality of pharmaceutical care.

Introduction: The disorder known as burnout develops as a reaction to the damaging impacts of workplace stress. When occupational stress is poorly managed, it can result in burnout, which has a detrimental impact on workers’ performance and emotional and physical well-being. Those who work in the helping profession are the most vulnerable. Pharmacy practitioners are among the most vulnerable groups in the healthcare industry. Aim: The aim of the study was to look into how community pharmacists’ work environments affect their levels of occupational burnout. Materials and methods: The current survey included 127 pharmacists holders of a Master of Pharmacy degree who practice in Bulgaria’s northeast. A paper-based questionnaire with details about the workplace of these pharmacists and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-HSS-MP), a validated assessment instrument, were used to conduct the survey. Results: The majority of those surveyed (53%) had a medium to high degree of burnout at work. The highest percentage of pharmacists (51%) received high scores on the depersonalization scale, which is associated with a lack of motivation for providing patient care. The degree of burnout was found to be unaffected by the kind of community pharmacy – chain or individually owned. Burnout was more prevalent among responsible and non-responsible pharmacists than among pharmacy owners. Conclusion: It was determined that pharmacists needed training and preventative measures to avoid occupational burnout, even though there was no evidence of a statistically significant relationship between the job position and burnout.

Background: Burnout is described as an emotional, mental and physical exhaustion observed in healthy people and directly related to their professional context. The objective is to study the level of burnout among community pharmacists and to identify the workplace factors affecting it. Materials and methods: Using a questionnaire, specifically designed by the authors of the study, an anonymous survey was conducted in the region of Varna, as the largest region of Northeastern Bulgaria. The questionnaire contains questions about the demographic characteristics; a standardised burnout measure tool (MBI-HSS-MP), and questions regarding the specifics of the work environment. According to MBI-HSS-MP, burnout is associated with high levels of emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalisation (DP) and low level of personal accomplishment (PA). Results: The participants in the pilot study were 127 masters of pharmacy. Regarding individual factors, a statistically significant relationship was found between age and the scales emotional exhaustion EE (p = 0.012), depersonalisation DP (0.028) and personal accomplishment PA (p = 0.028). Most susceptible to ЕЕ (p = 0.014) and DP (p = 0.008) were the age group 25–45 years while most satisfied with their PA were in the age group 46–55 years (p = 0.016). From the organisational factors, the large number of patients had the greatest impact on burnout (DP р = 0.000 /ЕЕ р = 0.006). The other key factors for burnout were an insufficient number of pharmacy staff, a heavy administrative burden and a wide range of medicinal products. Conclusion: It is necessary to develop training courses for young professionals to introduce them gradually into the work process and build up skills for effectively coping with stress. Proposals need to be made for reducing the administrative burden of pharmacists and maintaining staffing levels that are adequate to the patient flow and expanding the capabilities of The Specialised Electronic System for Tracing and Analysis System of Medicinal Products (SETASMP).

The administration of an excessive amount of or unnecessary drugs is a prerequisite for numerous drug-related problems, non-compliance, non-adherence to medicinal therapy, exacerbation and poor control of chronic diseases, and failure in achieving the treatment goals. The aim of this study was to assess patients’ awareness on drug use (administration, adherence to drug therapy) and to identify the possible drug-related problems with patients, using 5 or more medicines on Bulgarian territory. The data were collected implementing a structured study tool – a questionnaire for assessment of patients’ therapy using 5 or more drugs prescribed by a physician, including OTC and/or food supplements. The study provided an identification of factors affecting skipping of doses, modification of regime and analyzed the relationships and interdependencies between number of diagnoses and adverse drug effects rate; number of administered drugs and reported problems and unawareness of the medicinal product indications and health state. The results showed that it was necessary to introduce the Medication Review (MR) service in Bulgarian pharmaceutical practice. That will provide possibilities for development of pharmacists’ role in dispensing medical products, it will help in reducing drug-related problems and increasing the effectiveness of the treatment and adherence to medical therapy.

Background: Burnout is a common occupational health risk among healthcare professionals. While the phenomenon has been studied in physicians and nurses, limited evidence exists regarding pharmacists and public health inspectors despite their critical role in ensuring safe medication use and protecting population health. The study aims to identify and analyze the influence of work environment characteristics on the level of professional burnout among master pharmacists, assistant pharmacists, and public health inspectors. Methods: A cross-sectional anonymous survey was conducted among 491 healthcare professionals (221 master pharmacists, 151 assistant pharmacists, and 119 public health inspectors). Burnout was assessed using the validated Maslach Burnout Inventory–Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS (MP)), covering three dimensions: emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA). Work environment characteristics were examined across four domains: work tasks, stressors, occupational risks, and social environment. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests with IBM SPSS. Results: High levels of EE (66.6%) and DP (53%) were reported, while low PA was less frequent (6.7%). Significant factors associated with EE included time constraints (χ² = 9.985; p < 0.01), workflow disruptions (χ² = 23.987; p < 0.001), insufficient information (χ² = 22.890; p < 0.001), and lack of recognition (χ² = 16.498; p < 0.001). The social environment demonstrated the broadest impact, influencing all three burnout dimensions. Conclusions: The study found a risk of professional burnout among the surveyed groups which is associated with modifiable work environment characteristics. Preventive interventions aimed at promoting a supportive work environment could help mitigate this risk.