Burnout level and related factors among family physicians working in family health centers in Sakarya province

ABSTRACT Burnout level and related factors among famıly physıcıans workıng ın famıly health centers ın Sakarya provınce INTRODUCTION AND AIM: In 2010, the nationwide implementation of the family medicine system was initiated, and since then, numerous revisions and modifications have been introduced. While certain amendments have contributed positively to the daily clinical practice and working conditions of family physicians within the system, some changes have concurrently introduced various challenges. The objective of this study is to assess the level of burnout and associated factors among family physicians working in family health centers across the province of Sakarya and to provide a region-specific contribution to the understanding of this issue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study was conducted between April 1, 2025, and May 31, 2025, at the Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University. During the data collection phase, questionnaire forms prepared by our research team were distributed to family physicians and collected one week later. The data obtained from the questionnaires were statistically analyzed using the SPSS software program. RESULTS: A total of 219 out of 346 family physicians (63.29%) working in Sakarya participated in the study. The majority of the participants obtained moderate to high levels of burnout scores in the sub-dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that the burnout levels of family physicians are influenced by factors related to economic conditions, psychosocial dynamics, and working environments. Adverse factors such as insufficient income, heavy workload, exposure to violence, and workplace mobbing were found to increase burnout. Additionally, performance-based evaluation criteria and a lack of recognition negatively affected physicians' motivation. These findings highlight the necessity for multidimensional and comprehensive interventions aimed at reducing burnout among family physicians. Keywords: Burnout, family medicine, Sakarya