African journal of emergency medicine : Revue africaine de la medecine d'urgence
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Working in emergency care is commonly regarded as highly stressful. This is also true in the African setting characterised by high patient loads and limited resources. As in other similarly demanding occupations, burnout can be anticipated. The aim of this study was to examine the level of burnout amongst doctors in a cohort of public sector emergency centres in Gauteng, South Africa. ⋯ The results indicate that a large proportion of the doctors who work in these emergency centres are at moderate to high risk of burnout. Based on our findings we recommend that interventions be introduced at the work place to reduce burnout in doctors and improve their mental well-being. This will ensure better service delivery to patients with emergencies. Further research into the causes of occupational burnout should be explored.