Sociodemographic and Work-Related Factors Associated with Burnout Dimensions Among Nursing Professionals in Ecuador: A Cross-Sectional Study
Marina R. Ramírez, Mercy P. OntanedaBackground/Objectives: Burnout is a multidimensional occupational-health concern in nursing, yet post-pandemic evidence from Ecuador remains limited. This exploratory study aimed to identify sociodemographic and work-related characteristics independently associated with emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment among nursing professionals, using separate adjusted models. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed primary data from 462 nursing professionals participating in a national Ecuadorian research project. Burnout was assessed with the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). Separate multivariable ordinary least-squares models with HC3 robust standard errors were fitted for each dimension, with Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) correction across 24 non-intercept coefficients. Results: Mean scores were 17.09 (SD = 11.28) for emotional exhaustion, 6.61 (SD = 6.06) for depersonalization, and 30.99 (SD = 11.61) for personal accomplishment; using historical descriptive thresholds, 19.0% scored in the high emotional-exhaustion range, 32.2% in the high depersonalization range, and 52.7% in the low personal-accomplishment range. Older age was associated with lower emotional exhaustion (B = −0.211; 95% CI, −0.347 to −0.074; padj = 0.012), lower depersonalization (B = −0.122; 95% CI, −0.191 to −0.054; padj = 0.005), and higher personal accomplishment (B = 0.238; 95% CI, 0.098 to 0.377; padj = 0.005). Male sex was associated with higher depersonalization (B = 3.068; 95% CI, 1.499 to 4.637; padj = 0.003). Moderate (B = 4.134; padj = 0.014) and little/none (B = 6.958; padj = 0.005) institutional resource availability were associated with higher emotional exhaustion compared with full availability. Conclusions: Older age was associated with lower emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and higher personal accomplishment; male sex was associated with higher depersonalization, and lower perceived institutional resource availability with higher emotional exhaustion. These cross-sectional associations do not establish causation. Longitudinal research directly measuring organizational demands and resources is warranted.