Towards a National System-Level Intervention: Characterization of Burnout Among Trainees of Saudi Postgraduate...

High levels of burnout among healthcare professionals and trainees represent a global problem with identified profound impacts. The collection of national data for better characterization of this problem can guide more needs-sensitive targeted interventions. We aimed to identify the prevalence of burnout, the associated factors, and their impacts among trainees of Saudi postgraduate healthcare professions training programs.

We conducted an anonymous, cross-sectional survey of 11,500 Saudi Commission for Health Specialties trainees from February to May 2019. The survey included items for socio-demographic data, physical health, and work-related items. We used validated instruments to measure burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), stress (Perceived Stress Scale), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9).

A total of 6606 postgraduate trainees from different healthcare professions responded (mean age of 28.8 ± 3 years). Fifty-six percent reported burnout symptoms. Burnout was lower among female trainees (aOR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.65-0.82) and higher in trainees working ≥40 h/week (aOR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.03-1.37) and doing ≥six on-call shifts/month (aOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.03-1.37). Harassment and discrimination increased the risk of burnout by 57% and 60% (aOR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.36-1.80 and aOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.38-1.86), respectively. Burnout trainees had 3.57 adjusted odds to report major depression (95% CI 3.11-4.09), were 1.25 times more likely to report major stress (95% CI 1.36-1.80), and were 1.8 times more likely to complain of sleep disorders (95% CI 1.60-2.04).

This study identified several personal and work-related risk factors and impacts of burnout among our postgraduate trainees. The findings were helpful in guiding the expansion of the national Da'em well-being and prevention of burnout program efforts to a targeted system-level intervention.