Burnout and work-family conflict among female physicians in Tanta University, Egypt

Background: Many healthcare practices utilize "burnout" to indicate job-related stress. Several studies have linked physician burnout to higher medical error rates, lower patient satisfaction, and lower professional productivity. Objectives: To assess work-family conflict and burnout among female medical doctors and to explore their predictors. Methods: The study was conducted over a period of two months (January and February 2024). The target population was female medical doctors in the Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University. The selected females were requested to fill out a survey consisting of several sections: Demographics and working characteristics, measurement of work-family conflict, and Maslach burnout survey. Results: A total of 516 participants were included. The majority were aged between 25 and 35 years (68.6%), working in clinical departments (69.2%), reported intermediate quality of life (54.8%), and reported average work satisfaction (51%). The mean score of total work-family conflict scale was 41.4±10.9. Approximately 60.7% had high degrees of emotional exhaustion, 48.6% reported a moderate level of depersonalization, and 45.5% noticed a reduction in personal achievement. Female doctors aged 25 to 35 reported significantly greater levels of conflict. Unmarried females and those without children, having rural residence, and work in clinical department experienced higher levels of conflict. The level of work-family conflict increases as the levels of burnout subscales increase. Conclusion: We are reporting high levels of burnout and work-family conflict among female medical doctors in Tanta University. The findings call for the need for a mental health program and work-related adjustments.