Burnout and psychosocial working conditions in a multidisciplinary hospital radiology team: a cross-sectional study using the job demands–resources framework

OBJECTIVES: Burnout is a major concern in hospital radiology, but data on psychosocial work conditions remain limited. Using the job demands-resources (JD-R) framework, this study examined burnout and its associations with psychosocial work factors across professional groups in a German university hospital radiology department. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An exploratory cross-sectional survey was conducted among radiologists and non-physician staff. Burnout was measured using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI); psychosocial work conditions were assessed with COPSOQ III. Descriptive analyses, correlations, and hierarchical linear regressions were performed to evaluate associations between job demands, job resources, and burnout dimensions (personal, work-related, and patient-related burnout). RESULTS: Sixty-three participants (≤ 28 to ≥ 61 years; 37 women) were included. Personal and work-related burnout exceeded patient-related burnout. Non-physician staff reported higher personal burnout than radiologists. Job demands strongly correlated with personal (r = 0.686) and work-related burnout (r = 0.748), whereas associations with resources were weaker. In regression analyses, job demands were strongly associated with personal (R² = 0.62) and work-related burnout (R² = 0.60), without significant incremental resource effects. For patient-related burnout, job resources demonstrated an independent inverse association (total R² = 0.30). Higher burnout was associated with lower job satisfaction and greater sickness absence. CONCLUSION: In this exploratory single-centre study, burnout in hospital radiology was primarily associated with psychosocial job demands, particularly work-life conflict, workload, and role conflicts, whereas job resources showed weaker associations except for patient-related burnout. These findings suggest a predominantly demand-driven pattern within the JD-R framework and indicate that psychosocial working conditions may represent targets for intervention. KEY POINTS: Question Which psychosocial job demands and resources show the strongest associations with burnout among radiology staff in a university hospital department? Findings Work-life conflict, quantitative demands, and role conflicts showed the strongest associations with personal and work-related burnout among radiology staff. Critical relevance statement Burnout in hospital radiology was predominantly associated with organisational stressors, highlighting the relevance of psychosocial working conditions for organisational monitoring and intervention planning.