[Stress and burnout increase among general practitioners in Denmark]

Abstract

Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment. In agreement with international studies, Danish figures have revealed an increase in prevalence of severe burnout from 2.8% in 2004 to 5.3% in 2012. There is only little research on the consequences for the burned-out general practitioner (GP) and his patients as well as on appropriate intervention strategies. Even though burnout appears to be caused by a combination of personality factors and environmental conditions, the literature has one-sidedly focused on the resilience of the individual GP.