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Patients with burnout in relation to gender and a general population

Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, UmeÅ University, Sweden, therese.stenlund{at}vll.se

Christina Ahlgren

Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, UmeÅ University, Sweden

Bernt Lindahl

Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, UmeÅ University, Sweden

Gunilla Burell

Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Sweden

Anders Knutsson

Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Sweden

Birgitta Stegmayr

Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, UmeÅ University, Sweden

Lisbeth Slunga Birgander

Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, UmeÅ University, Sweden

Aims: The aims of this study were to describe gender differences in patients with burnout and compare these patients with a general population with respect to physical, psychosocial and work variables. Methods: Data were collected from a total of 136 patients (96 women and 40 men, 41,6 ± 7,4 years), diagnosed with stress-related disease and burnout at the Stress Clinic, University Hospital of Umeå. Data on burnout, physical, psychosocial and work characteristics were compared with similar data from a geographical and age-matched population based survey, the 2004 Northern Sweden MONICA study. The survey sample included a total of 573 participants (283 women and 290 men, 40,7 ± 8,5 years). Results: Women with burnout reported a higher rate of impaired awakening, lower job control, greater proportion of unpaid work and worked to a greater extent ``with people'' compared to men. Men with burnout had a more restricted social network and reported working more overtime than women. Patients with burnout reported a higher rate of unemployment, a more restricted social network and higher work demands compared to a general population. Women with burnout reported less emotional support, a more sedentary work situation, high job strain and worked to a greater extent ``with people'' than women from the general population. Conclusions: There are some differences in working conditions and social network between women and men with burnout. Patients with burnout differ from a general population regarding individual and social factors as well as work-related factors.

Key Words: Burnout professional • fatigue syndrome • social support • workload • population surveillance • epidemiology

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