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Physician burnout: a pilot study. S M Bruce1, H M Conaglen2, J V Conaglen3. 1University of Otago; 1The Psychology Centre, Hamilton; 3Waikato Hospital, Hamilton.
Aims To assess the level of burnout in a sample of New Zealand physicians, associated work and personal characteristics, and the need for development of a support peer supervision or support system.
Methods Questionnaires that measured a number of work and personal characteristics, including the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and additional questions regarding mistakes and need for support, were sent to 83 physicians in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty areas.
Results Of the 50 respondents, 10% recorded high levels of all three aspects of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, low personal accomplishment), and 28% experienced high levels of two or three of the three aspects of burnout. Emotional exhaustion correlated with a greater need for support. Most respondents favoured a one-to-one support system.
Conclusion This study highlights the need for a nationwide survey of physicians to measure levels of burnout with a view to developing a preventive support system.
Barriers that residents and their general practitioners in the Waikato DHB area face in trying to access surgical sterilisation and the potential outcomes as a result of these barriers. R Dekel1, H Dekrout2, T Butt3. 1Waikato District Health Board, Hamilton; 2Faculty of Arts and Social Services, University Of Waikato, Hamilton; 3Waikato Institute of Technology, Hamilton.
The perceived long waiting times for female sterilisation procedures led to a qualitative and quantitative investigation of the barriers that residents and their general practitioners in the Waikato DHB area face in trying to access surgical sterilisation and the potential outcomes as a result of these barriers.
The study found that the present publicly funded provisions of fertility control methods do not meet the needs of the population within the area, which is evidenced in part by the number of terminations of pregnancy performed at Health Waikato. Assessment of the tubal ligation waiting-list data and hospital discharge data revealed an approximate unplanned pregnancy rate of 6 per 100 women while waiting for a tubal ligation procedure (2% termination and 4% deliveries). Women could wait up to three years from the initial attempt to access permanent contraception to actual procedure date and the average waiting period for a tubal...