A Public Health Challenge: Assessing Burnout, Its Determinants and Coping Strategies among Medical and Dental Practitioners in Karachi, Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: To assess burnout, its associated factors and coping strategies among doctors and dentists in District East, Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2023 to October 2025 at Baqai Institute of Health Sciences, Baqai Medical University, Karachi. The data were gathered using a self-administered questionnaire that included Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and Brief COPE Questionnaire. A total of 198 participants from both public and private healthcare facilities were selected through convenience sampling. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.

Results: The mean age of respondents was 34.91±7.42 years whereas 135 (68.2%) of them were female. Burnout was found to be significantly related to age, occupation, and years of experience (p<0.05 for all). The disengagement aspect of burnout showed a significant association with occupation, while exhaustion was significantly associated with age, occupation, and experience (p<0.05 for all). The coping strategies most frequently used by participants were active coping (97%), planning (96.5%), acceptance (96.5%), and religious coping (96%).

Conclusion: It was concluded that burnout scores were significantly different across categories of certain demographic characteristics such as age, occupation, and duration of experience. These findings underscore the importance of institutional initiatives to promote supportive work environments, and strengthen mental well-being among healthcare providers in Pakistan.