Relationships between overwork, burnout and suicidal ideation among resident physicians in hospitals in Japan with medical residency programmes: a nationwide questionnaire-based survey

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the relationships between overwork, burnout and suicidal ideation among resident physicians working in hospitals throughout Japan. DESIGN: A nationwide, questionnaire-based survey. SETTING: Participating hospitals (n=416) were accredited by the Japanese Medical Specialty Board to offer medical residency programmes in 19 core specialties. Surveys were conducted in October 2020. PARTICIPANTS: Valid responses were obtained from 4306 physicians (response rate: 49%). OUTCOME MEASURES: Items pertaining to the Japanese Burnout Scale, depressive tendencies and suicidal ideation were included in questionnaires. Multiple regression analyses were performed: suicidal ideation was the response variable; sex, age, core specialty, marital status, income, weekly working hours and workplace (ownership, number of beds, number of full-time physicians and regional classification) were explanatory variables. RESULTS: Regarding the Japanese Burnout Scale, the highest score was recorded for ‘sense of personal accomplishment’, followed by ‘emotional exhaustion’ and ‘depersonalization’. Increased emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation were associated with longer working hours, but there was no such trend for sense of personal accomplishment. Depressive tendencies and suicidal ideation were noted in 24.1% and 5.6% of respondents, respectively. These percentages tended to increase when respondents worked longer hours. Several factors were significantly associated with suicidal ideation: female sex (reference: male, OR: 2.08, 95% CI: 1.56 to 2.77), ≥12 million yen income (reference: <2 million yen, OR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.79), ≥100 working hours/week (reference:<40 hours/week, OR: 3.64, 95% CI: 1.88 to 7.04) and 600–799 hospital beds (reference: <200 beds, OR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.82). CONCLUSIONS: Many Japanese residents demonstrated a tendency to experience burnout and suicidal ideation. Female sex, low income, long working hours and insufficient hospital beds were associated with suicidal ideation. To ensure physicians’ health and patients’ safety, it is necessary to advance workstyle reform for physicians.