COPING STRATEGIES POTENTIALLY REDUCE BURNOUT SYNDROME IN ANESTHESIOLOGISTS

Objective: Anesthesiologists are prone to have chronic stress due to their high-pressure job causing mental illness. One of the work-related mental illnesses is burnout syndrome. This study aimed to determine the relation between coping and burnout in anesthesiologists. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in anesthesiology residents at Dr. Moewardi Hospital, Surakarta, Indonesia. A total of 60 participants fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Coping and burnout were assessed by Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced and Maslach Burnout Inventory, respectively. All variables were analyzed using univariate and multivariate linear regressions. Results: Coping was significantly correlated with emotional exhaustion (B = 0.184; p = 0.019). In depersonalization, coping was significantly correlated, both in bivariate (B = 0.182; p = 0.003) and multivariate analyses (B = 0.232; p ≤ 0.001). In bivariate (B = 0.265; p = 0.005) and multivariate analyses (B = 0.246; p = 0.006), coping showed significant results with low personal achievement. Other variables that were significantly correlated with burnout were smoking, working hours, and emotional support. Conclusion: Coping is correlated with burnout in anesthesiologists. Approach coping reduces the incidence of burnout in anesthesiologists. Working hours as a burnout aggravating factor is also significantly correlated with burnout.