Burnout syndrome is a response to prolonged occupational stress that involves three main dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. There are few studies on burnout doctors in Brazil.

To describe the prevalence of burnout syndrome among intensive care physicians in Salvador, Brazil, and analyze it for associations with demographic data and aspects of their working conditions (psychological demands and control over tasks).

This was a cross-sectional study investigating associations between psychosocial aspects of work and professional burnout in a population of 297 intensive care physicians in Salvador. A self-administered individual questionnaire was used to collect data on psychosocial features of work using the demand-control model (Job Content Questionnaire) and on the mental health of the physicians using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).

An elevated level of working hours overload and on-call work overload was observed. The prevalence of professional burnout was 7.4% and was more strongly associated with the psychological demands of work than with intensive care physician's control over that work.

Physicians doing highly demanding work (many demands and little control) suffered 10.2 times more burnout than those with undemanding work (few demands and a high degree of control).