“Job Burnout Among Occupational Therapists Working in Palestine, Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study” رسالة ماجستير

Abstract

Background: Addressing burnout among occupational therapists is crucial, given the demanding nature of their professions. However, research specifically examining job burnout among occupational therapists in Palestine, Jordan Qatar, and Saudi Arabia is limited, this knowledge gap underscores the need for a comprehensive investigation to understand the unique challenges faced by these professionals. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the presence of burnout among occupational therapists working in Palestine, Jordan Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Additionally, it sought to identify factors associated with burnout in this population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, involving a convenience sample of occupational therapists from the aforementioned countries. The Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Service Survey for Medical Personnel MBI-HSS (MP) was used as a primary outcome measure, as well as the Brief resilience scale (BRS) and a patient health questionnaire (PHQ) as additional scales. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Results: The findings revealed that a significant proportion of occupational therapists experienced varying levels of burnout exhibiting moderate and high levels, which shows that there is a large number of OT professionals suffering from burnout, especially in the dimension of emotional exhaustion (25 % moderate and 25% high) and personal accomplishment showed that (35.75%) have high levels. In comparison (22%) scored moderate burnout levels. BRS and PHQ scales confirmed that Qatar OT professionals experienced high resilience with acceptable mental health status. In contrast, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Palestine professionals showed low levels of resilience and fair mental health status. Conclusion: This study highlights the V presence of burnout among occupational therapists in Palestine Jordan Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Sociodemographic and organizational factors, along with coping strategies, play a significant role in the manifestation of burnout, Faster attention is needed to implement interventions aimed at addressing burnout and promoting well-being among Occupational Therapists in these countries, These findings have implications for healthcare systems globally, emphasizing the importance of supporting health professionals to prevent burnout and ensure optimal patient care.