![]() The results of regression indicated that Model 2 explained 34.6% of the variance, R 2=0.35, F (12, 104)=5.89, p<0.001. Model 2 used anxiety, depressive symptoms, insomnia, and alcohol use problem as additional covariates to Model 1. Higher education level was significantly associated with a higher empathy level. In this model, compared to the best subjective WLB group (fourth quartile), the good group (third quartile), poor group (second quartile), and the worst group (first quartile) had significantly lower JSPE scores at -13.32 (p=0.005), -12.35 (p=0.005), and -21.50 (p<0.001), respectively. The results of regression indicated that subjective WLB group and the covariates explained 29.0% of the variance. ![]() Model 1 used age, work duration, education level, and marital status as covariates. Table 3 presents the association between WLB and empathy, which were analyzed using multivariate linear regression models. Finally, in Model 3, three dimensions of MBI (Burnout, Depersonalization, and Personal Achievement) were further adjusted. In Model 2, we additionally adjusted for mental health indices, such as anxiety, depressive symptoms, insomnia, and alcohol use problems. In Model 1, we adjusted for demographic variables, including work duration, education, and marital status. We used quartiles of subjective WLB score class (categorical variable) as the independent variable and JSPE score (20-140, continuous) as the dependent variable. Next, multivariate linear regression models were constructed to investigate the association between WLB and empathy. A chi-square test was used to examine the differences between mental health indices, according to the WLB group. ![]() ![]() To test the differences in mental health, including anxiety (BAI ≥16), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥8), insomnia (ISI ≥10), and alcohol use problems (AUDIT-K ≥12) according to WLB, participants were classified into good WLB group (scored ≥50th percentile) and bad WLB group (score <50th percentile) to increase the contrast between the two groups. Consequently, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers need to be empathetic to provide optimal health care services. Physician’s empathy could enhance the patient’s satisfaction and compliance, reduce anxiety and distress, and improve diagnostic accuracy and clinical outcomes, and eventually empower both patients and physicians. As empathetic communication is essential for high-quality humanistic care, affective, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions of empathetic communication require medical professionals to be competent enough to comprehend their patients’ situations, feelings, and perspectives. Apathy regarding patients’ needs and suffering may impair qualified health care activities. Burned out medical professionals often express cynicism and pessimism toward treatment, which patients and their families could perceive as being cold, indifferent, and rude. Since many physicians, nurses, and other health professionals are at risk of burnout because of work-life imbalance, burnout in health professionals has been investigated in relation to treatment efficacy and adherence to medical ethics. In situations where medical needs rapidly emerge, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, this problem is exascerbated in both Korea and worldwide. High work-burden, inefficient systemization, work-life conflict, and external control contribute to this phenomenon. Studies at Korean hospitals have found higher levels of burnout than among nurses in western countries, with similar effects on compassion fatigue and turnover intention. In a survey on Korean doctors’ satisfaction with their jobs, 51% of 1,004 physicians were content with their job, but approximately 80% reported experiencing burnout with physical and mental exhaustion because of excessive workloads. However, the overwhelming number of patients visiting training hospitals still challenges medical professionals’ well-being. In 2015, a law that limits residents working in hospitals to 80 working hours was enacted. In 2019, the Korean government tried to implement a law for shorter working hours to maintain a better WLB. Many medical professionals in Korea are burdened by excessive workloads and poor work-life balance.
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