Burnout Among Foreign-Born and Native Swedish Women: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

The authors of this study addressed burnout experiences (generally defined as chronic depletion of an individual's energetic resources') over time in relation to other factors (e.g., distress, sleep difficulties, job demands, etc.) among foreign-born women and Swedish native women living in Stockholm. The study design was a longitudinal panel survey with two waves one year apart. In the first wave, 3,616 of 6,000 randomly selected women took part, and 2,300 of the initial 3,616 women also participated in the second wave; 427 were foreign-born women, and 1,873 were Swedish native women. Baseline/emerging distress, emerging sleep difficulties, worsening general social support, job demands at baseline/escalating during the assessment period, emerging unemployment, constraints in social support at work, and sustained/emerging financial strain were associated with future burnout, regardless of background. More foreign-born women than Swedish native women reported burnout, with these differences maintained at one-year follow-up. The factors related to burnout were largely the same in both groups, but smoking and cardiovascular disease were related to burnout only among foreign-born women. Younger age, job demands, and working hours were associated with burnout among Swedish native women. The authors found that the women had concurrent problems such as burnout, distress, and sleep problems, but foreign background was not independently related to burnout.

KEYWORDS:

• foreign and Swedish women
• burnout
• distress
• work situation
• demographics/socioeconomics
• longitudinal

Notes

^a = ANOVA

^b = emotional/physical exhaustion and cognitive weariness

^c = item scores range from 1–7.

^a = repeated measures ANOVA

^b = emotional/physical exhaustion and cognitive weariness

^c = item scores range from 1–7

^d = difference Time 2–Time 1.

^a = continuous variable

^b = categorical variable

^c = reference category: No

^d = general health questionnaire

^e = e.g., anti-depressives

^f = e.g., hypertension; NA = non-applicable

*p < 0.05

**p < 0.01

***p < 0.001

****p < 0.0001.

^a = continuous variable

^b = categorical variable

^c = tracking variable (see statistical analyses)

^d = reference category: always

^e = reference category: never

^f = memory variable (see statistical analyses)

^g = e.g., anti-depressants

^h = e.g., hypertension

ⁱ = reference category: No; T1 = time 1; T2 = time 2; NA = non-applicable

*p < 0.05

**p < 0.01

***p < 0.001

****p < 0.0001.

1. See http/www.scb.se.

2. Self-reported by the respondent or family member via telephone and in questionnaires sent back by mail.

3. Corresponds well with the number of FBW living in Stockholm County.

4. A panel survey is a well-known form of longitudinal study used in for instance medicine and social sciences. In other words, one observes/assesses people over time. In this case, we assessed people twice, with one year apart between assessments.

5. Results not shown here, significance levels set at p < 0.01.

6. Working and studying were placed together because in Sweden students receive a stipend. Thus, this activity could be considered a kind of work.

7. Correlation data not shown in Tables.

8. Data not shown in Tables.

9. Data not shown in Tables.