International Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Taxation

International Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Taxation ISSN 2143-5572 Vol. 3 (3), pp. 297-305, March, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Gender variation during the occurrence of occupational burnout among health workers in Teaching Hospitals

Osaji N. E and Okpochie E. Andrew

Department of Psychology, Faculty of the Social Sciences, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 31 February, 2016

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate gender difference in the experience of burnout among four groups of health workers in Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti. One hundred and forty health workers were selected through purposive sampling from the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital comprising of 16 pharmacists, 30 health assistants, 36 doctors and 58 nurses. Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was administered to test the level of burnout. Four hypotheses were tested using Student’s Independent t-test. Results revealed that sex has a significant effect on burnout; female health workers are more vulnerable to burnout than their male counterparts. Findings were discussed in the light of previous literature on gender and burnout. Based on the findings, it was recommended that management should employ more hands in order to reduce work overload and that they should organise seminars and social activities to help workers loosen up.

Key words: Gender, burnout, health workers, teaching hospital, Ado-Ekiti.