Burnout Among Saudi Radiological Sciences Undergraduate Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background Burnout syndrome may adversely affect health care workers and health sciences students. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of burnout among Saudi third- and fourth-year radiological sciences students across three campuses of King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Methods An exploratory, cross-sectional study was conducted among 176 Saudi radiological sciences students, using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey for Students. The 16-item questionnaire was administered electronically. The arithmetic means of individual items making up each scale of burnout were calculated, and statistical analyses were performed using Mann-Whitney U nonparametric test. Results From the 176 radiological sciences students approached, 96 (54.5%) completed the questionnaire. The percentage of students who were at moderate to high risk of burnout for emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy were 70.8%, 75% and 74%, respectively. Fourth-year students emotional exhaustion mean scale score was 19.3 ± 6.8 indicating significant higher burnout levels (P = 0.042), compared to third-year students mean scale score of 15.9 ± 7.2. Fourth-year female students cynicism mean scale score was 16.3 ± 7.6 indicating significant higher burnout levels (P = 0.035), compared to third-year female students mean scale score of 10.3 ± 7.1. Fourth-year female students showed significant lower professional efficacy mean score (21.1 ± 8.0), compared to males (26.1 ± 7.9, P = 0.007). Conclusions Our study shows 73.3% moderate to high burnout rates among Saudi radiological sciences students. A greater proportion of fourth year female students reported high levels of emotional exhaustion. Burnout increases as students advance to the fourth year. A block/modular curriculum structure for fourth-year courses may be necessary to reduce burnout among fourth-year students. The provision of academic counseling can relieve students' emotional stress and therefore reduce the risk of burnout.