Prevalence and Distribution of Known Associated Factors of Burnout among Military Personnel of Sri Lanka Army: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction Burnout is a psychological condition that has a detrimental effect on occupational and mental health. The military is a known community that is vulnerable to burnout. Burnout risk may have increased over the past 10 years due to the accumulation of recognized burnout correlates in the Sri Lankan military context. Sri Lanka Army is acknowledged as the country’s main defense force to combat any impending threat. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize and control mental health issues like burnout. This study aims to describe the prevalence and distribution of recognized factors associated with burnout among Sri Lankan Army soldiers. Materials and Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 1692 Army personnel to describe the known associated factor profile and prevalence of burnout. The multistage sampling method that contained random, cluster, and systematic sampling steps was used. Validated Maslach burnout inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) Sinhala version, Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief-COPE), and a structured questionnaire on associated factors of burnout were included in a self-administered questionnaire. Sizes of each associated variable were calculated as frequency and percentage. Relevant central tendencies (mean or median) and distributions (confidence interval or interquartile range) of important variables were calculated. Crude and adjusted prevalence was calculated using validity properties obtained from prior criterion validity assessment. Results The response rate was 94% (n = 1490). The mean age was 30.7 (SD ± 6.23) years. The female participant percentage was 9.4% (n = 149). Half of participants (n = 813, 51.1%) were Lance corporals and Corporals. Nearly 80% (n = 1324, 83.2%) of study population gets less than Sri Lankan Rupees (SLR) 50,000 as final monthly salary, and three-fourth (n = 1187, 74.7%) did not have money savings. Faced difficulty because of resource deficiency (n = 1099, 69.1%), poor job control (n = 669, 42.1%), job ambiguity (n = 869, 55%), intention to leave (n = 842, 53%), and history of been absent (n = 298, 18.7%) were found to be much prevalent. The crude prevalence of probable burnout among military personnel of Sri Lanka Army was estimated to be 28% (95% CI, 23.13-32.87), and the adjusted prevalence of burnout was 23.2% (95% CI, 18.9-27.5). Conclusion High prevalence and high density of known associated factors of burnout would adversely influence the achievement of organizational goals of Sri Lanka Army. Early attention and proper action are strongly recommended.