These results partly corroborated the findings of previous studies (e.g. Ogungbamila, 2013) that higher level of
occupational burnout existed among health workers compared with employees in other service occupations
(teachers and police personnel). Health workers might have experienced higher emotional exhaustion and overall
occupational burnout than bank workers because of the dearth of health workers in Nigeria as a result of
migration (Bangdiwala et al., 2010; Chankova et al., 2007). The inadequate health personnel in the Nigerian
health sector might have increased the workload and occupational burnout of health workers who remained in
the under-staffed health sector (Stilwell et al., 2003). In addition to that, caring for individuals who are suffering
from pains, disability, and terminal illnesses is particularly demanding (Melo & Oliver, 2012) and might have
accounted for the high level of occupational burnout among health workers.