Can Burnout Be Linked to Suicide Among Healthcare Professionals? A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background

Burnout, defined by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, is a major occupational health concern among healthcare professionals. Burnout has been linked to depression, anxiety, and medical errors, but its association with suicidality in healthcare settings remains insufficiently explored.

Objective

To investigate the association between burnout dimensions and suicidality among healthcare professionals, and to identify occupational and demographic factors influencing this relationship.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 195 healthcare professionals in Romania, recruited through voluntary participation in an anonymized online survey. Burnout was assessed using an adapted tool inspired by the Maslach Burnout Inventory, while suicidality outcomes included suicidal ideation, self-harm, and suicide attempts. Descriptive statistics were calculated for demographic and professional variables. Pearson correlations and multivariable linear regression analyses, adjusted for age, professional experience, and shift work, were performed to evaluate associations between burnout dimensions and suicidality.

Results

Emotional exhaustion (r = 0.42, p < 0.001) and depersonalization (r = 0.37, p < 0.001) were positively correlated with suicidality, while reduced personal accomplishment was negatively correlated (r = -0.29, p = 0.002). In multivariable regression, emotional exhaustion remained the only statistically significant independent predictor of suicidality after adjustment for demographic and occupational characteristics. Younger age and rotating/night-shift work were associated with higher suicidality in unadjusted analyses but were not independent predictors after multivariable adjustment. Strong correlations between burnout dimensions and physical symptoms highlighted the interplay between psychosocial strain and somatic health.

Conclusions

Burnout, particularly emotional exhaustion, was independently associated with suicidality among healthcare professionals, while depersonalization demonstrated a significant unadjusted association that did not remain statistically significant after multivariable adjustment. Younger clinicians, shift workers, and those with less experience appear especially vulnerable. These findings emphasize that burnout is a multifactorial construct with both psychological and somatic dimensions, shaped by systemic workplace stressors. These findings support further evaluation of systematic screening, organizational reforms, mentorship programs, and confidential mental health support as potential components of suicide-prevention strategies for healthcare professionals.