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Publication Pressure and Burn Out among Dutch Medical Professors: A Nationwide Survey

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  • Joeri K Tijdink
  • Anton C M Vergouwen
  • Yvo M Smulders

Abstract

Background: Publication of scientific research papers is important for professionals working in academic medical centres. Quantitative measures of scientific output determine status and prestige, and serve to rank universities as well as individuals. The pressure to generate maximum scientific output is high, and quantitative aspects may tend to dominate over qualitative ones. How this pressure influences professionals’ perception of science and their personal well-being is unknown. Methods and Findings: We performed an online survey inviting all medical professors (n = 1206) of the 8 academic medical centres in The Netherlands to participate. They were asked to fill out 2 questionnaires; a validated Publication Pressure Questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. In total, 437 professors completed the questionnaires. among them, 54% judge that publication pressure ‘has become excessive’, 39% believe that publication pressure ‘affects the credibility of medical research’ and 26% judge that publication pressure has a ‘sickening effect on medical science’. The burn out questionnaire indicates that 24% of medical professors have signs of burn out. The number of years of professorship was significantly related with experiencing less publication pressure. Significant and strong associations between burn out symptoms and the level of perceived publication pressure were found. The main limitation is the possibility of response bias. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of medical professors believe that publication pressure has become excessive, and have a cynical view on the validity of medical science. These perceptions are statistically correlated to burn out symptoms. Further research should address the effects of publication pressure in more detail and identify alternative ways to stimulate the quality of medical science.

Suggested Citation

  • Joeri K Tijdink & Anton C M Vergouwen & Yvo M Smulders, 2013. "Publication Pressure and Burn Out among Dutch Medical Professors: A Nationwide Survey," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(9), pages 1-6, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0073381
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073381
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hendrik P. van Dalen & Kène Henkens, 2012. "Intended and unintended consequences of a publish‐or‐perish culture: A worldwide survey," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 63(7), pages 1282-1293, July.
    2. repec:ucp:bkecon:9780226750248 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Neal S Young, 2008. "Why Current Publication May Distort Science," Working Papers id:1757, eSocialSciences.
    4. Neal S Young & John P A Ioannidis & Omar Al-Ubaydli, 2008. "Why Current Publication Practices May Distort Science," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(10), pages 1-5, October.
    5. Daniele Fanelli, 2010. "Do Pressures to Publish Increase Scientists' Bias? An Empirical Support from US States Data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(4), pages 1-7, April.
    6. Daniele Fanelli, 2012. "Negative results are disappearing from most disciplines and countries," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 90(3), pages 891-904, March.
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    1. Cristina Sestili & Stefania Scalingi & Sara Cianfanelli & Alice Mannocci & Angela Del Cimmuto & Simone De Sio & Massimiliano Chiarini & Marco Di Muzio & Paolo Villari & Maria De Giusti & Giuseppe La T, 2018. "Reliability and Use of Copenhagen Burnout Inventory in Italian Sample of University Professors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-11, August.
    2. Tamarinde L Haven & Lex M Bouter & Yvo M Smulders & Joeri K Tijdink, 2019. "Perceived publication pressure in Amsterdam: Survey of all disciplinary fields and academic ranks," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(6), pages 1-12, June.
    3. Daniele Fanelli & Vincent Larivière, 2016. "Researchers’ Individual Publication Rate Has Not Increased in a Century," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1-12, March.
    4. van Dalen, Hendrik Peter, 2018. "Invisible barriers to the top for female economists," Other publications TiSEM 86a9c814-6feb-4056-b7dd-1, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    5. Julia Heuritsch, 2021. "Reflexive Behaviour: How Publication Pressure Affects Research Quality in Astronomy," Publications, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-23, November.
    6. Halizah Mat Rifin & Mahmoud Danaee, 2022. "Association between Burnout, Job Dissatisfaction and Intention to Leave among Medical Researchers in a Research Organisation in Malaysia during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-14, August.

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