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Embryologists’ health: a nationwide online questionnaire

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The present study evaluates health status and its relation with occupational characteristics and with burnout syndrome among embryologists.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was used to conduct an online self-assessment survey, sent to all members of the Spanish Association of Clinical Embryologists. The questionnaire contained occupational questions and two standard instruments: ‘Short Form-12 Health Survey’ as a measure of physical (PCS-12) and mental (MCS-12) health and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) to evaluate the degree of burnout.

Results

The PCS-12 obtained for the Spanish embryologists was higher than that for the reference population. However, the total MCS-12 was significantly lower than that observed in non-institutionalised males and females representative of the general Spanish population aged 35–44 years. In the linear regression model, the dependent variable PCS-12 was related indirectly with the variables number of hours worked per week, BMI, back pain, leg pain and visual discomfort. In the linear regression model, the dependent variable MCS-12 was indirectly related to the gender (male reference; female coefficient regression: −3.23), exhaustion and cynicism dimensions of the MBI-GS. A total of 87 (36.3 %) embryologists presented a high score on at least one of the MBI-GS dimensions.

Conclusion

In this sample of Spanish embryologists, a norm measure (SF-12) showed their physical health to be better than the average for the general population, but that their mental health was poorer. A significant indirect relation was observed between mental health and burnout syndrome. Strategies to reduce occupational stress and problems should form part of the training provided for clinical embryologists.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the ASEBIR executive committee and the staff of the ASEBIR secretariat. We also thank all the ASEBIR members for their cooperation.

Conflict of interest

None declared.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unidad de Reproducción, UGC laboratorio Clínico y UGC Obstetricia y Ginecología, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (IIBG), Granada, Spain

    B. López-Lería, A. Clavero, M. C. Gonzalvo, M. Serrano, M. L. López-Regalado, L. Martínez & J. A. Castilla

  2. Programa de Doctorado en Medicina Clínica y Salud Pública de la Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain

    B. López-Lería

  3. UGC Alfacar, Granada, Spain

    P. Jimena

  4. Agencia Sanitaria Costa del Sol, Marbella, Spain

    S. Carrillo

  5. Fundación Pública Andaluza para la Investigación Biosanitaria de Andalucía Oriental Alejandro Otero, Granada, Spain

    C. Olvera

  6. Banco de Semen CEIFER, Granada, Spain

    J. A. Castilla

  7. Banco de ovocitos, MasVida Reproducción, Sevilla, Spain

    J. A. Castilla

Authors
  1. B. López-Lería
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  2. P. Jimena
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  3. A. Clavero
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  4. M. C. Gonzalvo
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  5. S. Carrillo
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  6. M. Serrano
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  7. M. L. López-Regalado
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  8. C. Olvera
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  9. L. Martínez
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  10. J. A. Castilla
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to B. López-Lería.

Additional information

Capsule

Embryologists’ physical health status is better than that of a reference population. However, embryologists, especially women, present poor levels of mental health related to burnout syndrome.

This article is related to the Ph.D. Doctoral thesis by B. López-Lería.

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López-Lería, B., Jimena, P., Clavero, A. et al. Embryologists’ health: a nationwide online questionnaire. J Assist Reprod Genet 31, 1587–1597 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0352-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0352-7

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