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Demographic Factors and Burnout Outcomes Associated With Disability Status Uncertainty in U.S. Medical Students
Summary
Medical students uncertain about their disability status face higher burnout risks, with disparities across racial, ethnic, and gender groups. Addressing institutional barriers is crucial for supporting all learners.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Disability Studies
- Public Health
Background:
- Medical trainees frequently experience uncertainty regarding disability definitions.
- Barriers to documentation, stigma, and societal ableism exacerbate this issue.
- Understanding demographic differences in disability status uncertainty is vital for medical education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine demographic characteristics of medical students uncertain about their disability status.
- To compare burnout outcomes between students uncertain about disability and those identifying as having a disability.
- To identify disparities in disability status uncertainty among medical students.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of second-year medical student data from the Association of American Medical Colleges Year-Two Questionnaire (AAMC-Y2Q) cohorts (2019-2020).
- Comparison of students identifying as having a disability (N=2438) versus those reporting uncertainty (N=496) within 27,009 participants.
- Utilized the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory for Medical Students and multivariable logistic regression to assess demographic associations and burnout relationships.
Main Results:
- Students from Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/Spanish origin, and Multiracial backgrounds had significantly higher odds of disability status uncertainty compared to White students.
- Asian students showed higher uncertainty odds than Hispanic/Latino/Spanish origin, Multiracial, and Other students.
- Male students and students reporting disability status uncertainty had significantly higher odds of experiencing high burnout.
Conclusions:
- Disability status uncertainty is linked to increased burnout risk in medical students, with notable racial, ethnic, and gender disparities.
- Institutions must address structural and cultural barriers hindering students from accessing disability resources.
- Further research is needed to develop strategies for mitigating these disparities and promoting well-being among medical learners.
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