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Work stress and burnout
Work stress arises when demands are high and control or reward is low, and it increases heart disease, depression and absence – and burnout is an occupational phenomenon of emotional exhaustion, cynicism about work and a reduced sense of accomplishment, managed mainly at the level of the organization.
Why it matters in the exam
Items on this topic ask about the models: Karasek's demand–control model, in which "job strain" is the combination of high demands and low decision latitude, and adding low social support gives "iso-strain"; and Siegrist's effort–reward imbalance model, in which high effort with low reward (pay, recognition, job security) harms health. Other items ask about burnout: Maslach's three components – emotional exhaustion, depersonalization or cynicism, and reduced professional accomplishment – and the fact that in ICD-11 burnout is defined as an occupational phenomenon, not a disease. Also tested are the health consequences (heart disease, hypertension, depression, anxiety, alcohol use), burnout among doctors and nurses and its effect on patient safety, and the distinction between burnout and major depression, which needs medical treatment. Effective intervention combines organizational change – a reasonable workload, more control, support, fairness and recognition – with personal tools such as time management, physical activity and mindfulness-based interventions, and follow-up of return to work. Remember that a personal intervention alone, without addressing the factors in the organization, achieves a limited and temporary result. Health-sector items also ask about long shifts among residents, and about the link between burnout, medical errors and leaving the profession.
Key points
- Job strain is high demands with low control.
- An imbalance between effort and reward harms health.
- Burnout includes emotional exhaustion, cynicism and a reduced sense of accomplishment.
- In ICD-11 burnout is an occupational phenomenon, not a disease.
- Effective intervention combines organizational change and personal tools.
Summary table
| Concept | Definition | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Demand–control model (Karasek) | High demands with low decision latitude – job strain | Adding control reduces strain even without reducing demands |
| Iso-strain | Job strain with low social support | The highest risk |
| Effort–reward imbalance (Siegrist) | High effort against low reward | Linked to heart disease and depression |
| Burnout (Maslach) | Emotional exhaustion, cynicism, reduced accomplishment | In ICD-11 – an occupational phenomenon, not a disease |
| Burnout versus depression | Burnout is tied to work; depression affects all areas of life | Depression requires diagnosis and treatment |
| Intervention | Organizational and personal together | Treating the individual alone is limited |
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Sources
- Karasek & Theorell, Healthy Work: Stress, Productivity and the Reconstruction of Working Life, 1990 — The demand–control model
- Siegrist, Adverse health effects of high-effort/low-reward conditions, 1996 — Journal of Occupational Health Psychology – effort–reward imbalance
- WHO, International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), 2019 — QD85 Burn-out – an occupational phenomenon
Sources are given for further reading; the text is written afresh and not copied from them.
Reviewed by the Examqo AI Professor · 2026-11-06. The text may contain errors; when in doubt, check the source.