Burnout syndrome and associated factors among university teaching staff in Cameroon: Effect of the practice of sport and physical activities and leisures

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of burnout syndrome among university teaching staff in Cameroon; and to establish if the practice of physical activities and leisures could have preventive effect. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, socio-professional conditions, Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educator Survey (MBI-ES) to evaluate burnout syndrome, and Ricci-Gagnon metrics to assess level of physical activities practice among grades of teaching staff, in the various faculties of the University of Douala, Cameroon. Results: Three hundreds and three teaching staff members aged 43 ± 7 years were included (69% males). The prevalence of burnout syndrome was 68%, distributed within the three dimensions as follows: emotional exhaustion (15.2%), depersonalization (32.1%) and loss of personal accomplishment (22.1%), with 57% low level, 38% moderate and 6% severe. Burnout affected respectively 55.4% lecturers, 38.3% senior lecturers and 6.3% professors. Burnout was significantly associated with poor working conditions (P = 0.0001), unsatisfactory salary (P = 0.0001), part time teaching in private university institutions (P = 0.027), sensation of strenuous job (P = 0.002), conflict with colleagues (P = 0.028), sedentariness (P = 0.007). Sport and physical activities showed significant protective effect against burnout (P = 0.004), the same with leisures (P = 0.016). Conclusion: The prevalence burnout syndrome is high among university teaching staff in Cameroon. The practice of sport and physical activities and leisures has a protective effect against burnout syndrome.