PECULIARITIES OF PROFESSIONAL BURNOUT AMONG LECTURERS OF MEDICAL UNIVERSITIES DURING THE WAR
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/m.2414-5998.2025.4.15858Keywords:
professional burnout; war; lecturers; medical university.Abstract
Abstract. Modern higher medical education is undergoing significant transformation under the influence of global challenges and socio-political events. One of the most serious stressogenic factors affecting the education system in Ukraine in recent years is the war. The state of war has not only complicated the material and technical support of the educational process but has also had a significant impact on the psycho-emotional state of all its participants. Particularly vulnerable in these conditions are the lecturers of higher medical education institutions, whose professional activity involves combining teaching duties, scientific work, and clinical practice. The aim of the study was to examine the peculiarities of professional burnout among lecturers of medical universities during the war period. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 156 lecturers of medical universities who were involved in the educational process at theoretical and clinical departments. To determine the level of professional burnout, the C. Maslach questionnaire was used. It was found that the level of emotional exhaustion was 22.3% higher among female lecturers, among young lecturers under the age of 35 (p=0.021), lecturers of clinical departments (p=0.038), and lecturers with less than 5 years of work experience (p=0.007). The level of depersonalization was significantly higher among women (p=0.020), lecturers working at clinical departments (p=0.016), and lecturers with less than 5 years of experience (p=0.039). A significantly greater reduction of personal achievements was observed among young lecturers and those with less than 5 years of experience. The prevalence of a high level of emotional exhaustion among lecturers of clinical departments was 1.5 times higher than among lecturers of theoretical departments (p=0.038), and the prevalence of a high level of depersonalization was 1.6 times higher (p=0.047). It was determined that the main factors contributing to the development of professional burnout were chronic stress, economic instability and decreased income, disturbances of sleep and rest patterns, social isolation, and workload.
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