Burnout syndrome and its determinants among medical, dental, and nursing undergraduate students: a cross-sectional analytical study from Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Medical colleges are known to be stressful environments that, if left unchecked, could result in burnout and stress, which might last throughout the training and beyond. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk of burnout among s tudents in medicine, dentistry, and nursing colleges in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study using an online self-administered questionnaire was sent to all (n = 1,000) students in the medical, nursing, and dentistry colleges of Vision College in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Burnout was assessed using the previously validated Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey. Results: The study sample included 718 students, resulting in a 71.8% response rate. Females represented 57.2% of the study sample, and the average age was 23.1 ± 2.57 years. Emotional exhaustion (EE), cynicism (CY), and reduced personal efficacy (PE) was found in 62.5%, 72.8%, and 65% of the participants, respectively. Overall, burnout was present in more than half of the participants (57.2%). The risk of EE, PE, and CY was significantly higher in nursing, medicine, and dentistry students, respectively. Exercise frequency showed a statistically significant positive association with decreased risk of EE/CY/ and PE. grade point average (GPA) was the strongest predictor of EE and reduced PE. Conclusion: This study showed high burnout rates among students. Low GPA students in this study showed a higher overall burnout. Exercise frequency and sleeping showed a statistically significant positive association with a decreased risk of burnout.