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The Relation Between Burnout and Sleep Disorders in Medical Students

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Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study is to assess the mutual relationships between burnout and sleep disorders in students in the preclinical phase of medical school.

Methods

This study collected data on 127 medical students who filled in the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory. Hierarchical logistic regressions tested the reciprocal influence between sleep disorders and burnout, controlling for depression and anxiety.

Results

Regular occurrence of emotional exhaustion, poor sleep quality, and excessive daytime sleepiness affected 60, 65, and 63 % of medical students, respectively. Emotional exhaustion and daytime sleepiness influenced each other. Daytime sleep dysfunctions affected unidirectionally the occurrence of cynicism and academic efficacy. The odds of emotional exhaustion (odds ratio (OR) = 1.21, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1.08 to 1.35) and cynicism (OR = 2.47, 95 % CI = 1.25 to 4.90) increased when daytime sleepiness increased. Reciprocally, the odds of excessive daytime sleepiness (OR = 2.13, 95 % CI = 1.22 to 3.73) increased when emotional exhaustion worsened. Finally, the odds of academic efficacy decreased (OR = 0.86, 95 % CI = 0.75 to 0.98) when daytime sleepiness increased.

Conclusions

Burnout and sleep disorders have relevant bidirectional effects in medical students in the early phase of medical school. Emotional exhaustion and daytime sleepiness showed an important mutual influence. Daytime sleepiness linked unidirectionally with cynicism and academic efficacy.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Márcio Amaral de Oliveira Filho, Naira Vanessa Anomal Gonzalez, Ana Emília Teófilo Salgado, Bernardo Cordeiro e Oliveira, Caio Silva Lodi, and Raquel Muniz da Silva Melo.

Disclosures

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, RJ, Brazil

    Daniel Pagnin, Valéria de Queiroz, Yeska Talita Maia Santos Carvalho, Augusto Sergio Soares Dutra, Monique Bastos Amaral & Thiago Thomasin Queiroz

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  1. Daniel Pagnin
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Correspondence to Daniel Pagnin.

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Pagnin, D., de Queiroz, V., Carvalho, Y.T.M.S. et al. The Relation Between Burnout and Sleep Disorders in Medical Students. Acad Psychiatry 38, 438–444 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-014-0093-z

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