Overlap of burnout-depression symptoms among Chinese neurology graduate students in a national cross-sectional study

Wei Zhou,Yiyun Liu,Xiaogang Zhong,Juncai Pu,Haiyang Wang,Lu Tian,Li Fan,Wensong Yang,Peng Xie,Teng Teng

doi:10.1186/s12909-021-02511-3

Abstract

BackgroundThe overlap of burnout and depression is a phenomenon that can effectively reflect the psychological state of a group. However, whether burnout is a type of depression is still debated in current research. The high incidence of burnout and depressive symptoms among medical students indicates that it is urgent to provide appropriate health services for them. However, the proportion of burnout and depression in the overlapping symptoms experienced by medical students, and the characteristics of the relative influencing factors, remain unclear. Therefore, we addressed these issues for neurology graduate students in China.MethodsUsing data from a cross-sectional survey of Chinese neurology graduate students, a diagnostic model was established according to their burnout and/or depression symptoms. Burnout was assessed by using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Depression symptoms were assessed with a two-item depression screening tool for primary care evaluation of mental disorders. Univariate analyses with chi-squared tests were conducted to assess associations between variables. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to analyze the effects of multiple factors on dependent variables. The factors included demographic information and three medical-study related problems.ResultsIn total, 32.2% of surveyed students evidenced overlapping burnout and depression symptoms. Students with depressive symptoms tended to be included in the burnout students’ category. In the regression model, being unmarried, having children, and career choice regret were related to students who had only burnout, while the students with overlapping symptoms were affected by more factors such as family income, the consideration of dropping out once.ConclusionsThe symptoms and related factors of burnout and depression among Chinese neurology postgraduates have obvious overlap and show a significant trend. The occurrence of depressive symptoms among medical students is closely related to whether they are burned out. Students with only burnout were common, but students with only depressive symptoms were uncommon. Finally, burnout may be a pre-depression state.

Highlights

The overlap of burnout and depression is a phenomenon that can effectively reflect the psychological state of a group
The cited studies highlight that burnout and depressive symptoms are important issues affecting the mental health of medical students
51.4% of students evidenced burnout alone, 1.5% suffered from depressive symptoms alone, and 32.2% had both burnout and depression symptoms

Summary

Introduction

The overlap of burnout and depression is a phenomenon that can effectively reflect the psychological state of a group. Our previous studies have discussed the characteristics of burnout and depressive symptoms among Chinese neurology graduate students, respectively [19, 20] While these findings have improved our understanding of medical students’ mental health issues, more recent studies have begun to focus on the overlap between burnout and depressive symptoms, and have offered judgments that better reflect the social reality [7, 21]. To this end, some scholars have investigated this overlap relationship by using input from physicians, school administrators, and health professionals [22,23,24]. They have shown that, in their study populations, burnout and depressive symptoms were indivisible and, were probably the same symptoms [22,23,24]

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