Abril - 2017

onzález

-S

ánchez

364

ssoc

ras

2017; 63(4):361-365

be statistically explained by LPA, providing significant

inverse correlation with EE and Dp (r=-0.27 and r=-0.33,

respectively), so that the different scores in Burnout I

compensated most of the other variables.

iscussion

Some of the issues that have had an important influence

in the results of our research are:

•

Physiotherapist collaboration in our study was very

low. Perhaps the low level of collaboration could be

due to the questionnaires being sent by mail instead

of an interview. The reviewed literature reflects lower

rates of reply when the questionnaires are sent by

mail. However, we thought that sending questionnai-

res through mail would be the best procedure in or-

der to respect anonymous participation, as well as to

reach to the higher possible number of professionals.

This is because the Extremadura region comprises a

very large territory.

•

We avoided all bias selection risk. Questionnaires were

sent to all physiotherapists from Extremadura and

therefore they were all included in the study. No pre-

vious selection of professionals was done.

•

In addition, a third party carried out the statistical

analysis to avoid information bias.

•

We must mention that in the reviewed literature, trials

about BOS are very frequent. There are several trials

focusing on healthcare personal, but very few focus

on physiotherapists, therefore making data compa-

rison with existing studies difficult.

Physiotherapists included in our study had a moderate

level of BOS in its three dimensions: EE, Dp and LPA.

This tendency is in accordance with our literature refer-

ences. Comparing our results with those of similar stud-

ies, we can see that in a trial done with physiotherapists

in the Murcia region

only 4% of participants showed high

level of BOS, which is in correlation with other similar

foreign studies.

In a study made in Mexico

about BOS

in physicians and nurses, 36% of the sample showed mod-

erate-high levels of BOS. If we compare our results with

those obtained from other health professionals, we can

see that physiotherapists show BOS levels similar to phy-

sicians and nurses. In a study

performed in the Madrid

region, BOS levels and their three dimensions showed a

moderate level in 50% of the participating nurses.

Regarding controlled variables and BOS components,

we have observed no significant relation between BOS

and the participants’ age, which is in accordance with the

reviewed literature. So, the age of physiotherapists does

not seem to have any influence in the syndrome. How-

ever, there is an adjustment period, at the beginning of

the physiotherapist’s professional development, where

they are especially vulnerable to the development of BOS.

Marital status influences the final stages of BOS, as

well as the levels of its three dimensions. With the data

shown above, we reaffirm the theory that BOS is associ-

ated with people who do not have a stable partner and,

although there is no consensus, it seems that the familiar

environment cushions the effects of work stress and com-

pensates emotional over implication in work, as affirmed

by Dale and Weinberg.

After having analyzed the bibliography, we can see

that neither the number of working hours per week nor

the type of shifts in a working day can negatively affect

the levels of BOS and its three dimensions. In a study car-

ried out by Bernaldo de Quirós and Francisco and Labra-

dor,

the authors show a strong correlation between work

time (spent in the exercise of profession) and BOS.

The

study of Serrano Gisbert et al.

shows that almost 75% of

physiotherapists who suffer from BOS work more than

seven hours per day. The study by Gran, Suñer and García

shows highest levels of Dp in professionals who work night

shifts. Data presented in our study affirm these theories,

because physiotherapists who work split shifts and more

than 38.5 hours per week are those who present the high-

est levels of BOS. In relation to the three dimensions, for

working day, moderate levels are present in both groups,

except for Dp, a disturbance that is highest in those pro-

fessionals who work less than 38.5 hours per week; how-

ever, they are in the moderate level range. LPA is low in

physiotherapists who work split shifts. The number of

hours of direct attention to patients and family represents

a factor that influences negatively the levels of BOS and

its three dimensions, because professionals who dedicate

more than 40 hours per week to this issue are those who

present the highest level of EE and Dp. Both parameters

show moderate levels. LPA is lower in professionals who

dedicate less than 10 hours per week to direct attention to

patients and family, representing moderate levels. Burnout

syndrome reaches its highest levels in those who dedicate

more than 40 hours per week of direct attention to patients

or family. We can establish that this group is highly af-

fected by BOS. A study carried out in a sample of physio-

therapists from a health service in Andalucía

did not find

any significant statistical relation between BOS and the

number of hours dedicated to direct patient attention.

With respect to the number of patients attended to

daily and BOS, our results are very similar to those men-

tioned in the previous paragraph. Professionals who attend