WHO defines Burn-out for the first time as a syndrome

Burn-out has been classified by the world health organization (WHO) as a factor that can affect health. The feeling of burnout resulting from chronic Stress in the workplace, which could lead to a negative attitude to the Job and lower performance, is a part of the new WHO Definition. Burn-out had so far been without a Definition taken into account. Now the term with this description was listed in the catalogue of the 55,000 diseases, symptoms, and causes of Injury, a spokesman said on Tuesday.

The WHO had first spoken, in the case of Burn-out of a disease, but on Tuesday clarified.

Previously, the 194 member States of WHO had adopted a revised Version of the international classification system of diseases, ICD-11, a kind of catalogue of the recognized diseases. This now includes also the Definition and limitations of Burn-out.

The previous Version of the international classification system since the beginning of the nineties, valid. Starting in January 2022, the new catalogue is not intended to replace the old one, a concrete date for the launch in Germany is still to be determined. In the directory causes are diseases, symptoms and Injury with a specific Code. With the combinations of letters and Numbers, Doctors are supposed to register in the world in the future, their diagnoses, and thus, statistical studies easier.

Three dimensions of the Burn-outs

The WHO describes burnout as a syndrome resulting from “chronic Stress in the workplace, which is not processed successfully”. The syndrome according to the ICD-11 three dimensions:

  • a feeling of exhaustion,
  • an increasing intellectual distance, or a negative attitude to their own Job and
  • reduced occupational performance.

In addition, the WHO indicates that the term Burn-should out be used only in a professional context, and not “for experiences in other areas of life”. So far, Burn-out was listed under “problems related to difficulties in coping with life,” and without reference to the professional environment in the catalog ICD-10.

In the new classification system will be included in addition, diseases that were not previously recognized. Under the Code 6C51 Doctors can diagnose with the new classification system in the future, a Video and online game addiction. This begins for the WHO, if a person is more than twelve months, organizes all other aspects of life to the Play. If he loses, for example, his friends or his personal hygiene is neglected. The Gaming industry had protested, because she fears that people who play a lot, could suddenly be used as a therapy in need of classified.

Transsexualism not a mental illness

In addition, a new Addiction has taken after Sex. Compulsive sexual behavior see the WHO then, as a given, when patients consume excessive porn or phone sex to use. The diagnosis was appropriate according to the Definition of professionals when Concerned intense, recurrent sexual impulses over longer periods of time not in control and this life is your family or work or social behaviour influence. The classification is Concerned is important, because Doctors and health insurers to align with it. You can, for example, decide whether the cost of a therapy will be taken.

Other supposed diseases be deleted from the classification system. In the previous Version of TRANS-sexuality falls into the category of mental disorders. In the future, you will be as a “sexual health” listed. Interest groups had asked the WHO for years to refer to transsexualism no longer as a mental illness.

Discussions about drug prices

At the annual conference of the WHO, which runs until Tuesday, there are some decisions. Among other things, a Resolution is discussed, which aims at providing more transparency in the cost of Drugs. The cost of the research to medicines and vaccines should be disclosed, if pharmaceutical companies want to register the agent. So a fairer pricing policy is to be enabled.

The Federal government, the Resolution declines. Organizations such as Doctors without borders or bread for the world are outraged. “Even in rich Europe, health systems reach their limits, because they can no longer pay exorbitant prices,” – said in an open letter to the Minister of health, Jens Spahn. “At the same time, drug prices have to do often nothing with the actual research costs, but then be set as revenue in the respective markets can be maximised.” The associations request that the Delegation of the German revised their Position and endorsed a Resolution.

Note. d. Red.: In previous versions it was called, WHO acknowledged a Burn-out in the ICD-11, for the first time as a disease. The organization has clarified the details, in the meantime, we have corrected the Text accordingly.