PROFESSIONAL BURNOUT OF PHARMACISTS: SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF CAUSES AND CORRECTIVE SUPPORT PROGRAMS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/2312-0967.2026.1.16018Keywords:
professional burnout, pharmaceutical workers, signs of burnout, symptoms of burnout, corrective psychological support programsAbstract
Purpose of the work: To conduct a scientific analysis of the causes of professional burnout of pharmacists in different countries, to investigate corrective support programs by conducting a comprehensive bibliometric analysis in the Scopus database.
Materials and methods. A bibliometric analysis of publications using the keywords "professional burnout", "pharmacists", "health care system" in the scientometric database Scopus was conducted. Quantitative indicators (publication dynamics, distribution by industry, geography, authors) and bibliometric metrics (CiteScore, SIR, SNIP) were analyzed.
Results and discussion. The results of the study confirm the growing attention to the problem of professional burnout of pharmacists as an important component of preventive medicine, education and social initiatives. A bibliometric analysis of publications in the Scopus database for 2016–2026 identified 265 scientific documents, reflecting the gradual growth of research interest in the problem of professional burnout of pharmaceutical workers. The largest number of publications occurred on 2022–2025, indicating an intensification of scientific research in this area. Publication activity is concentrated in leading international pharmaceutical journals with high scientometric indicators, while geographically the research is dominated by scientists from the United States, confirming the significant role of American academic and clinical centers in studying this issue.
An analysis of scientific sources shows that professional burnout is a common phenomenon among pharmacists: more than half of specialists report initial manifestations of burnout, and a significant proportion indicate high levels of stress and emotional exhaustion. The main risk factors include excessive workload, staff shortages, intensive communication with patients, administrative pressure, and an imbalance between professional and personal life. These factors lead to deterioration in the psycho-emotional state of employees, reduced job satisfaction, increased risk of professional errors, and higher staff turnover. In international practice, various organizational and psychosocial staff support programs are implemented to prevent professional burnout, including employee well-being initiatives, psychological assistance programs, mindfulness training, peer support networks, and organizational changes in pharmacy work models. Such approaches are aimed at creating a supportive work environment, optimizing workload, and improving the professional well-being of pharmaceutical workers, which in the long term contributes to improving the quality of pharmaceutical care.
Conclusions. A bibliometric analysis of publications in the Scopus database demonstrates a growing scientific interest in the problem of professional burnout among pharmaceutical workers. It has been established that burnout is a widespread phenomenon among pharmacists and is associated with high workload, staff shortages, and organizational factors of professional activity. International experience demonstrates the effectiveness of organizational and psychosocial staff support programs aimed at reducing stress levels and improving the professional well-being of pharmaceutical workers. Therefore, the problem of professional burnout requires attention at the level of pharmacy organizations, educational institutions, employers, and national healthcare policy.
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