Burnout profiles among anesthesiology specialists in Türkiye: a nationwide cross-sectional survey

Burnout is a critical occupational issue in anesthesiology, with implications for physician well-being, patient safety, and workforce sustainability. Although burnout among anesthesiology specialists in Türkiye has been reported, national data interpreted through the current MBI-HSS profile-based framework remain scarce. We aimed to characterize burnout profiles among anesthesiology specialists in Türkiye and identify factors associated with an investigator-defined burnout risk profile. We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional online survey in June 2025 among anesthesiology specialists reached through the Turkish Society of Anesthesiology and Reanimation mailing list. The anonymous questionnaire collected demographic, occupational, psychosocial, and health-related data and included the 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel (MBI-HSS-MP). Burnout was assessed using the MBI-HSS 4th edition profile approach. The investigator-defined burnout risk profile comprised the Burnout, Overextended, and Disengaged profiles; associated factors were examined using multivariable logistic regression, with two sensitivity analyses using alternative outcome definitions. A total of 193 anesthesiology specialists completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 21.0%. The mean age was 43.7 ± 8.6 years, and 116 participants (60.1%) were female. Using the MBI-HSS profile-based classification, we found that 47 participants (24.4%) met the Burnout profile, 61 (31.6%) were classified as Overextended, 9 (4.7%) as Disengaged, 54 (28.0%) as Ineffective, and 22 (11.4%) as Engaged. Overall, 117 respondents (60.6%; 95% CI: 53.6–67.2%) belonged to the burnout risk profile. Absence of weekly social activity was associated with higher odds of this risk profile (adjusted OR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.08–4.29; p = 0.029), whereas greater perceived workplace support was associated with lower odds (adjusted OR = 0.56 per one-point increase; 95% CI: 0.39–0.79; p = 0.001). Results were consistent with Firth penalized estimation; in the strictest sensitivity analysis restricted to the Burnout profile, perceived workplace support remained associated with the outcome, whereas weekly social activity did not. Burnout-related profiles were frequent among responding anesthesiology specialists in Türkiye, particularly profiles characterized by elevated emotional exhaustion and/or depersonalization. Lower perceived workplace support was the factor most consistently associated with the burnout risk profile, and absence of weekly social activity was also independently associated with it. Given the cross-sectional design, these associations cannot establish causality; workplace support, work organization, and recovery opportunities warrant further longitudinal and interventional evaluation.