Comparison of the burnout among medical residents before and during the pandemic

Abstract

ABSTRACTObjectiveThis study aims to compare the level of burnout syndrome in medical residents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify potential risk factors.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on medical residents from three different university hospitals in Turkey in March 2021, one year after the pandemic hit Turkey. Burnout is measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory which assesses three dimensions of it: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Collected data were combined and compared with data from a previous study held in the same hospitals in December 2019, three months before the pandemic.Results412 medical residents from three universities participated. The mean age was 27.8±2.4 and half of them were female. Compared to pre-pandemic levels, no significant differences in emotional exhaustion (pre:19.0±7.6 post:18.8±7.8), depersonalization (pre:7.3±4.3 post:7.2±4.4), and personal accomplishment (pre:20.8±5.1 post:21.1±5) scores were observed one year after the pandemic. Adjusting for confounders, multiple linear regression models indicated that those who are female, are in a surgical speciality, have vulnerable cohabitants, and have more night shifts face higher emotional exhaustion. Depersonalisation is higher among those who spent more years in residency, have more night shifts, or have COVID-19 outpatient duty. Females and those who have vulnerable cohabitants have lower levels of Personal Achievement.ConclusionThis study does not support the hypothesis that pandemic increases the burnout levels. Yet it identifies a couple of pandemic-related factors that are associated with burnout and confirms the association of several previously known factors.