Burnout disproportionately affects hematologists and oncologists due to high-stress clinical environments, long working hours, and emotional demands of caring for critically ill patients. While compassion is integral to patient care, the relationship between compassion and burnout has not yet been sufficiently explored. This study investigates the relationship between compassion and burnout in hematologists and oncologists, contextualizing findings within using multivariate linear regression and Pearson's correlation analyses.

A cross-sectional survey of 161 hematologists and oncologists was conducted using validated instruments: the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to assess burnout (burnout, depersonalization, personal achievement) and the Compassion Scale to measure compassion subdomains (kindness, indifference, common humanity, mindfulness, separation, disengagement). Participants were stratified by practice setting (academic vs. community), gender, and clinical focus.

While the scores from the Burnout subscale and Depersonalization did not statistically predict the scores of the Compassion Scale (p > 0.05) the scores from the Personal Achievement statistically predicted the scores of the Compassion Scale (β = -0.352; p < 0.05). Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed statistically significant relationships between the Burnout scores, and Kindness, Common Humanity, Mindfulness, and Disengagement of the Compassion Scale (p < 0.05) but not with the Indifference or Separation (p > 0.05). A statistically significant relationships was only found between the Depersonalization scores and the Indifference (p < 0.05) but not the other components of the Compassion Scale (p > 0.05). While strong and positive correlations were found between the Personal Achievement scores and the Kindness and Common Humanity of the Compassion Scale, no significant relationships were observed with Disengagement, Mindfulness, Indifference, or Separation (p > 0.05).

The compassion was not completely corelated with Burnout, but some subscales of Burnout were corelated with some subscales of the Compassion such as personal achievement increases, the levels of kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness also increases. Individuals with higher burnout levels exhibit increased indifference and as indifference increases, the relationship with kindness alsso strengthens.