The association between burnout and physical illness in the general population—results from the Finnish Health 2000 Study

The association between burnout and physical diseases has been studied very little. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between burnout and physical illness in a representative nationwide population health study. As a part of the “Health 2000 Study” in Finland, 3368 employees aged 30–64 years were studied. Burnout was assessed with the Maslach Burnout Inventory—General Survey. Physical diseases were diagnosed in a comprehensive health examination by research physicians. Physical illness was more common among subjects with burnout than others (64% vs. 54%, P