Burnout among Otolaryngology Residents: The Impact of Age, Gender, and Sleep

Burnout affects otolaryngology residents, harming their well-being and patient care. This study identifies factors linked to burnout to create strategies for enhancing resident well-being. A cross-sectional study was conducted among otolaryngology residents to investigate factors associated with burnout. Data on demographics, sleep patterns, burnout using the Abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory (aMBI) and the Short Form Health Survey-12 including Physical Component Summary (PCS-12) and Mental Component Summary (MCS-12) were collected. Multivariate regression models were employed to identify significant predictors of burnout. A total of 279 questionnaires were filled out. The sample had 44.4% female participants. Residents reported high Emotional Exhaustion (mean = 12.89, SD = 3.8), moderate Depersonalization (mean = 5.74, SD = 5.20), and low Personal Accomplishment (mean = 8.75, SD = 4.71). The final model for Emotional Exhaustion found three key predictors: earliest sleep onset time (Beta= -0.14, p < 0.001), PCS-12 (Beta= -0.273, p < 0.001), and MCS-12 (Beta= -0.48, p < 0.001). Five key factors for Depersonalization were identified: age (Beta= -0.228, p < 0.001), average sleep onset time (Beta= -0.126, p = 0.025), PCS-12 (Beta= -0.175, p = 0.022), MCS-12 (Beta= -0.232, p = 0.003), and season (Beta = 0.113, p = 0.036). Personal Accomplishment was predicted by gender (Beta = 0.116, p < 0.001), MCS-12 (Beta = 0.347, p = 0.037), and average sleep duration (Beta=-0.115, p < 0.001). Burnout is common among otolaryngology residents, especially younger and female ones. Prioritizing mental and physical health is crucial and limiting excessive sleep may help. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore additional well-being strategies.