Majority of Oncology Staff at Moroccan Cancer Institute Affected by Burnout
News, Oncoscience
August 28, 2025“Burnout is highly prevalent among oncology healthcare professionals in Morocco, particularly among young female nurses.”
BUFFALO, NY — August 28, 2025 — A new research paper was published in Volume 12 of Oncoscience on July 31, 2025, titled “Burnout among oncology nurses and technicians in Morocco: Prevalence, risk factors, and structural equation modeling.”
In this study, Imane Errami, Saber Boutayeb, and Hassan Errihani from the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy at University Mohammed V of Rabat investigated the prevalence of burnout among oncology nurses, technicians and administrative staff in Morocco. The study revealed high levels of burnout, which is particularly concerning for public health and healthcare system sustainability.
Burnout is a growing issue in the medical field worldwide, especially in high-stress environments like oncology. This study focused on healthcare professionals at the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat, a major cancer treatment center in Morocco. Using a validated psychological tool called the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a statistical approach known as structural equation modeling, researchers assessed the severity of burnout in 91 participants and identified key risk factors.
“A cross-sectional study was conducted from September to December 2024 at the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat.”
The study found that over 60% of participants showed signs of severe burnout. Over 70% reported moderate to high emotional exhaustion, while more than half showed signs of depersonalization, reflecting emotional detachment from patients. In contrast, about a quarter of participants reported low personal accomplishment in their professional roles. Younger staff, women, nurses, and those working frequent night shifts were the most affected.
Many participants also reported insufficient sleep, limited physical activity, and dissatisfaction with their salaries and working conditions. More than 80% expressed a desire to leave the profession.
The study provides important insight into the emotional challenges faced by oncology staff, especially frontline workers who manage long hours and emotionally draining situations. It highlights that burnout is driven by multiple factors, including high workload, poor work-life balance, lack of recognition, and frequent workplace conflict. Emotional exhaustion was found to be the key factor that triggered other symptoms of burnout, including detachment and reduced job satisfaction.
The authors call for urgent institutional changes to support healthcare workers. Suggested measures include reducing workload, improving working conditions, offering financial incentives, and promoting ongoing training and psychological support. These recommendations align with international guidelines that emphasize organizational, rather than individual, solutions to burnout.
This study underscores the urgent need to address systemic stressors within healthcare systems, particularly in oncology. By improving the work environment and recognizing the critical roles of oncology personnel, health institutions can better safeguard both staff well-being and patient care outcomes.
Continue reading: DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/oncoscience.623
Correspondence to: Imane Errami – imane_errami@um5.ac.ma
Keywords: cancer, burnout, oncology, healthcare professionals, risk factors
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