Association between moral distress and burnout syndrome at a Palliative Care Unit in federal district—Brazil

Abstract

Background: Healthcare professionals face stressful situations, especially in palliative care settings, where they are exposed to ethical dilemmas. This study aims to assess the association between moral distress and burnout syndrome among working at a Palliative Care Unit. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analytical observational study conducted in a specialized Palliative Care Unit in Brazil. Between June and November 2024, a questionnaire was applied to healthcare professionals, collecting sociodemographic data, the Measure of Moral Distress for Healthcare Professionals-Brazilian version (MMD-HP BR) and the OLdenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) scales. Results: A total of 100 healthcare professionals were included, with a mean age of 39.79±10.23 years. The majority were female (82%), physicians (24%), had no palliative care formation (79%) and worked for less than 11 years (75%). The MMD-HP BR scale ranged from 0 to 309 (median =98), while the OLBI scale ranged from 36 to 65 (median =49). Burnout was associated with age (coefficient β=−0.11, P=0.02) and the intention to leave the job (coefficient β=2.81, P=0.01); however, there was no statistically significant association between burnout and moral distress. Conclusions: There was no association between moral distress and burnout in our study. This may be due to the interdisciplinary nature of palliative care helping mitigate this impact. Nevertheless, the association between Burnout, professionals’ age, and the desire to leave their jobs highlights workforce overload. Broader studies are needed to enhance understanding and help to prevent and control these phenomena.