Association Between Burnout, Anxiety, and Depression in Senior Medical Students: A Cross-sectional Study
Danny Japon1, Carlos Rodriguez Alarcon1, Aldo Carofilis1, Hector Toala1, Linker Viñan Paucar1, Presley Gruezo1, Joyce Jimenez Zambrano2
1Universidad Católica Santiago de Guayaquil., 2Department of Neurology, University North Dakota School Medicine & Health Science
Objective:
To investigate the relationship between burnout syndrome and the psychological well-being in the context of senior medical students' mental health.
Background:
Mental health within the medical community has become a prominent topic, particularly in the post-pandemic era. High-stress situations and demanding working conditions place physicians' mental health at risk. Individuals experiencing burnout syndrome often score significantly higher on anxiety and depression scales, directly impacting their work performance if not addressed promptly.
Design/Methods:
A cross-sectional design was employed to assess anxiety and depression levels in a sample of senior medical students. The assessment was conducted using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A total of 100 applicants voluntarily participated and were categorized based on the presence of burnout syndrome, determined by responses to the Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaire. The statistical analysis involved assessing group differences with a student’s t-test and establishing Spearman's correlation between anxiety and depression scores.
Results:
Among senior medical students, the mean age was 24 years (±1.49), and 60% were male. An 86% of these students exhibited burnout syndrome, and notable disparities were observed in the average anxiety and depression scores between the two groups. Individuals with burnout syndrome scored significantly higher on anxiety (t = -5.23, p < 0.05) and depression (t = -5.18, p < 0.05) compared to their non-burnout counterparts. Additionally, there was a strong positive correlation between anxiety and depression results (Spearman’s rho= 0.7418, p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
Senior medical students face a substantial burden of burnout. This study robustly establishes that individuals with burnout syndrome experience notably elevated levels of anxiety and depression compared to their non-burnout counterparts, underscoring the critical need for comprehensive mental health interventions for individuals displaying burnout symptoms. Furthermore, a strong positive correlation reveals that higher anxiety is consistently linked to increased depression, showing a non-linear association.