Burnout and depression among medical residents in the United Arab Emirates: A Multicenter study

Abstract

Introduction:Persistent imbalance between work demands and resources seems to be a crucial contributor to the development of burnout among medical professionals. Yet, it seems that Middle East is lacking studies analyzing psychological well-being's of medical residents. Hence, we aimed to conduct a nationwide study to understand and address burnout and depression in medical residents in the UAE.Methods:A multicenter, cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate professional burnout and depression among medical residents to address the gap.Results:Our results indicate that 75.5% (216/286) of UAE medical residents had moderate-to-high emotional exhaustion (EE), 84% (249/298) had high depersonalization (DP), and 74% (216/291) had a low sense of personal accomplishment. In aggregate, 70% (212/302) of medical residents were considered to be experiencing at least one symptom of burnout based on a high EE score or a high DP score. Depression ranging from 6% to 22%, depending on the specialty was also noted. Noticeably, 83% (40/48) of medical residents who had high scores for depression also reported burnout.Conclusions:This study shows that burnout and depression are high among medical residents in UAE. There is a crucial need to address burnout through effective interventions at both the individual and institutional levels. Professional counseling services for residents will certainly be a step forward to manage resident burnout provided the social stigma associated with counseling can be eliminated with awareness. The work hour regulations suggested by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education partly provides a solution to improve patient safety and care quality. There is an urge to reconfigure the approach to medical training for the well-being of the next generation of physicians in the Arab world.

Depression, anxiety, and burnout among medical students and residents of a medical school in Nepal: a cross-sectional study

“…Burnout in healthcare workers is a universal concern. Different studies across the world have shown a high prevalence of burnout among medical students [20][21][22] and residents [23]. Burnout is found to be prevalent among medical students even prior to the initiation of the clinical years of medical training [24,25].…”

Depression, anxiety, and burnout among medical students and residents of a medical school in Nepal: a cross-sectional study

“…Different studies across the world have shown a high prevalence of burnout among medical students [21,26,27] and residents [28]. Burnout is found to be prevalent among medical students even prior to the initiation of the clinical years of medical training [29,30]. It then progressively develops over the course of medical training [31].…”

Challenges and the Future of Residency Education in the UAE After ACGME-I Accreditation

“…6 The majority of respondents showed symptoms of burnout, including emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization, a low sense of personal accomplishment, and a high rate of depression. 6 Residents from psychiatry, family medicine, and general surgery had the highest rates of self-reported burnout and depression (approximately 100%). 4 Over one-third of respondents reported burnout in the final years of residency, and burnout rates were significantly higher for UAE nationals compared to non-nationals.…”

“…5 However, data on this topic from Arab nations are scarce, and only one study has analyzed the patterns of burnout and depression among residents in the UAE. 6 This multicenter, cross-sectional study assessed burnout in residents in programs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. 6 The majority of respondents showed symptoms of burnout, including emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization, a low sense of personal accomplishment, and a high rate of depression.…”

“…6 This multicenter, cross-sectional study assessed burnout in residents in programs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. 6 The majority of respondents showed symptoms of burnout, including emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization, a low sense of personal accomplishment, and a high rate of depression. 6 Residents from psychiatry, family medicine, and general surgery had the highest rates of self-reported burnout and depression (approximately 100%).…”