Prevalence of burnout among medical students in Saudi Arabia universities

Abstract

Background: Burnout is a psychological condition that results from an excessive workload and a perfectionism-driven obsession. Prolonged exposure to these conditions can create physical symptoms, resulting in various diseases. Due to their demands and obligations, medical students and healthcare professionals are particularly at risk of burning out. The study aimed to calculate the prevalence of burnout among Saudi medical students. Methods: A total sample of 278 participants was taken. MBI was adapted and translated into Arabic in this study to find the prevalence of burnout. Data was analyzed on IBM statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS), and descriptive and chi-square tests were applied. Results: 33.4% of participants were males and 66.6% were females. Only 12.35 students were recorded to be smokers. The overall prevalence of burnout among students was 215, while 80.2% of students had low PA; in the case of emotional exhaustion, 21.2% fell to a high degree, and 28% had high degree depersonalization. Conclusions: The most common type of burnout among Saudi medical students is because of low personal accomplishment. Further studies should be conducted to understand better the problem prevailing in medical students so policies can be formed accordingly.