Patients with burnout in relation to gender and a general population.

Aims: The aims of this study were to describe gender differences in patients with burnout and compare these patients with a general population with respect to physical, psychosocial and work variables.

Methods: Data were collected from a total of 136 patients (96 women and 40 men, 41.6 +/- 7.4 years), diagnosed with stress-related disease and burnout at the Stress Clinic, University Hospital of Umeå. Data on burnout, physical, psychosocial and work characteristics were compared with similar data from a geographical and age-matched population based survey, the 2004 Northern Sweden MONICA study. The survey sample included a total of 573 participants (283 women and 290 men, 40.7 +/- 8.5 years).

Results: Women with burnout reported a higher rate of impaired awakening, lower job control, greater proportion of unpaid work and worked to a greater extent "with people" compared to men. Men with burnout had a more restricted social network and reported working more overtime than women. Patients with burnout reported a higher rate of unemployment, a more restricted social network and higher work demands compared to a general population. Women with burnout reported less emotional support, a more sedentary work situation, high job strain and worked to a greater extent "with people" than women from the general population.

Conclusions: There are some differences in working conditions and social network between women and men with burnout. Patients with burnout differ from a general population regarding individual and social factors as well as work-related factors.