Burnout in Firefighters: A Systematic Review and Quantitative Synthesis of the Scientific Literature

Objectives: This study aims to conduct a systematic review and quantitative synthesis of burnout among firefighters, a professional group exposed to highly demanding situations. Eligible studies assessed burnout using validated instruments and examined its relationship with at least one additional variable, and were published in English or Spanish. Only studies using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and reporting zero-order associations were included in the quantitative synthesis.Results: Following PRISMA guidelines, 35 studies published between 2006 and 2025 were identified, of which 15 were included in the quantitative synthesis. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool. Burnout was associated with individual, organisational, and contextual factors and, consistent with the Job Demands-Resources model, both job demands and resources showed moderate associations with burnout.Conclusions: Overall methodological quality was high, but findings should be interpreted with caution due to heterogeneity across studies, cross-sectional designs, and potential reporting biases.