Reducing Burnout and Promoting Health and Wellness Among Medical Students, Residents, and Physicians in Alberta: Protocol for a Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study

Esther Kim; Robert Mallett; Marianne Hrabok; Yajing Alicia Yang; Chantal Moreau; Izu Nwachukwu; Maryana Kravtsenyuk; Adam Abba-Aji; Daniel Li; Vincent I O Agyapong

doi:10.2196/16285

Reducing Burnout and Promoting Health and Wellness Among Medical Students, Residents, and Physicians in Alberta: Protocol for a Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study

JMIR Res Protoc. 2020 Apr 17;9(4):e16285. doi: 10.2196/16285.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
² Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
³ Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada.

PMID: 32301742
PMCID: PMC7195663
DOI: 10.2196/16285

Abstract

Background: Burnout is an increasingly common and insidious phenomenon experienced by workers in many different fields, although it is of particular concern among physicians and trainees due to the nature of their work. It is estimated that one-third of practicing physicians will experience burnout during their career, and this rate is expected to continue to increase. Burnout has significant implications, as it has been identified as a contributor to increased medical errors, decreased patient satisfaction, substance use, workforce attrition, and suicide.

Objective: This study will evaluate the prevalence and impact of burnout on physicians, residents, and medical students in Alberta.

Methods: Quantitative and qualitative data collected through self-administered, anonymous, online questionnaires will be used in this cross-sectional provincial study design. Data collection tools were developed based on published literature and questions from previously validated instruments. The tools capture relevant demographic information, mental health status, and rates of burnout, as well as factors contributing to both burnout and resilience among respondents. We anticipate a sample size of 777 medical students, 959 residents, and 1961 physicians to represent the respective ratios of trainees and practicing physicians in the province of Alberta.

Results: Study recruitment will begin in September 2020, with 4 weeks of data collection. The results of this study are anticipated within 12 months from the end of data collection. It is expected that the results will provide an overview of the prevalence of burnout among those training and working in medicine in Alberta, identify contributors to burnout, and help develop interventions aimed at reducing burnout.

Conclusions: This study's aim is to examine burnout prevalence and contributing factors among medical trainees and physicians in Alberta. It is expected that the results will identify and examine individual and organizational practices that contribute to burnout and help develop strategies and interventions focused on mitigating burnout and its sequelae.

International registered report identifier (irrid): PRR1-10.2196/16285.

Keywords: burnout interventions; burnout measures; burnout, psychological; delivery of health care; medicine; resilience; wellness; work life balance.

©Esther Kim, Robert Mallett, Marianne Hrabok, Yajing Alicia Yang, Chantal Moreau, Izu Nwachukwu, Maryana Kravtsenyuk, Adam Abba-Aji, Daniel Li, Vincent I O Agyapong. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 17.04.2020.