IJHSR

International Journal of Health Sciences and Research

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Original Research Article

Year: 2016 | Month: December | Volume: 6 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 47-51

Having it all - Burnout and Moral Distress in Working Female Physicians in a Developed Asian Country

Shahla Siddiqui1, Chiew Wan-Ling Alyssa2, Karen Soh3, Prof T Thirumoorthy4

1Senior Consultant, Dept of Anaesthesia, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore.
2Resident, Dept of Anaesthesia, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore.
3MBBS, Singapore.
4Associate Professor, Duke- NUS medical School, Singapore.

Corresponding Author: Shahla Siddiqui

ABSTRACT

Introduction: As female physicians enter the workforce increasing amounts of burnout and moral distress is being reported in literature mostly emanating from the West. Our objectives were to study the incidence of burnout and moral distress amongst working female physicians using evidence based criteria in a developed Asian country.
Setting: Singapore is a developed Asian country. Female physicians are practicing in both government as well as private hospitals.
Materials and Methods: After IRB approval we sent out an anonymous survey via email to 100 female physicians currently practicing in Singapore.
Results: Our results show a 54% rate of burnout and an 8% rate of self- harm consideration. Family pressures and poor work life balance as well as motivational factors at work seem to be major contributors to this.
Conclusion: This simple survey self-reported study gives a glimpse into the association between female physicians and burn-out in Singapore healthcare context, and the fact that such a phenomenon can potentially have a devastating effect on mental health, physical health and family’s lives of these working female physicians.

Key words: burnout, moral distress, gender bias.

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