Protocol for an Umbrella Review: Global Prevalence and Associated Factors of Burnout Among Physicians.

This umbrella review aims to conduct analysis of systematic reviews and meta-analysis (SRMA) on the prevalence of burnout and its associated factors among physicians. In this study, burnout is considered based on Maslach's definition of this syndrome which states " Burnout is a psychological syndrome resulting from prolonged exposure to chronic workplace stress, characterized by three main dimensions: overwhelming exhaustion, feelings of cynicism and detachment from the job, and a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment"(1). primary analysis will prioritize full Maslach criteria (high EE + high DP + low PA on MBI) where reported, with stratification/secondaries for other definitions or tools (e.g., high EE only, CBI). The prevalence of burnout among physicians has been increasing worldwide, with SRMAs reporting varying estimates across specialties, regions, and career stages(2,3). Although numerous SRMAs on physician burnout are available, there is a need for higher-level synthesis. This study aims to report prevalence estimates from existing reviews, reconcile conflicting findings across reviews, identify risk and protective factors, and assess the methodological quality of existing evidence syntheses. An umbrella review will provide a comprehensive overview of the synthesized evidence and guide future research and interventions. This study follows PRISMA-P guideline and will be registered in Open Science Framework (OSF)(4).