Stress, Burnout, and Associated Risk Factors in Medical Students.

Objectives To determine the prevalence of and the risk factors associated with burnout and stress for medical students in Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional, survey-based study was distributed between January and February 2018 among all 500 medical students from the first to fifth years in a medical college; 356 of the students responded (71.2% response rate). Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) while the stress level was measured using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Socio-demographics, professional characteristics, and participation in extracurricular activities were also included as possible predictors of burnout and stress. Results The study revealed that the stress level was (51.7%, n= 184) and the rate of high burnout was (38.2%, n= 136), expressing high exhaustion (77.8%, n=277), high cynicism (65.7%, n=234), and low academic efficiency (45.5%, n=162). Half of the students (50%, n=178) participated in extracurricular activities and were involved in one or more activities such as organizing activities and medical volunteering (n = 52, 14.6%), research (n = 59, 16.6%), and physical exercise (n = 71, 10.4%). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between overall burnout and a lower grade point average (GPA) (OR = 0.581, p 0.004, 95% CI = 0.400 to 0.843). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between stress and students with a lower GPA (OR = 0.737, P = 0.0.23, 95% CI = 0.566 to 0.959); stress was also higher in students who were not involved in any extracurricular activities (OR 1.893, P = 0.004, 95% CI = 1.22 to 2.918). Conclusion Our study shows high burnout rates among medical students. Low GPA students in this study showed a higher overall burnout. Stress was high in our study participants and was higher in students with a low GPA and in students who were not involved in any extracurricular activities.

Diabetes and driving recommendations among healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia. A significant gap that requires action.

OBJECTIVES: To assess healthcare providers' knowledge and awareness of the recommendations for drivers with insulin-treated diabetes in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare providers working at 4 tertiary hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between April 2016 and December 2016 using a self-administered questionnaire. Results: A total of 285 healthcare providers completed the survey (response rate 88.5%). Most (70.2%) were aware of the safe driving recommendations for patients with insulin-treated diabetes. However, the need to check blood glucose levels before driving was underestimated by almost one-third (30.2%). Only one-quarter (24.6%) identified the correct level of blood glucose level that is safe for a patient when driving, and 28.4% identified the recommended time for checking blood glucose before driving. Participants who were aware of the recommendations for safe driving had a significantly higher average knowledge score (68.8%) than those who were not aware (58.8%; p less than 0.001). There was a significant difference in the average knowledge score among medical specialties (p=0.002) and job levels (p less than 0.001). Conclusions: Most healthcare providers identified the importance of evaluating their patients for ability to drive safely, but we found some important areas of knowledge deficit. Professional intervention to improve healthcare providers' awareness and knowledge regarding diabetes and driving is the first step in improving detection and reporting high-risk drivers with diabetes to prevent future driving mishaps.

Heart Rate Beat-to-Beat Slope Change during Six-Minute Walk Test: a Useful Clinical Tool for Estimating Fitness level.

BACKGROUND: The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is one of the most common exercise tests and is used to estimate the level of physical fitness. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of the beat-to-beat heart rate 6MWT slope (6MWTS) and recovery slope for predicting and estimating the level of physical fitness during 6MWT, instead of depending on the distance covered during the test. METHODS: Seventy healthy adult male subjects aged 18 to 27 years were recruited randomly from the general Saudi population in Riyadh. Using a 50-m corridor, 6MWT was performed according to standardised American Thoracic Society guidelines. RESULTS: The mean distance walked in 6 minutes (470.5±64.6 m) and beat-to-beat heart rate (HR) were calculated using a HR monitor. In addition, the body mass index, body surface area, Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion, and maximum predicted HR percentage were also calculated. A stepwise regression equation was used to predict the 6MWT distance (6MWTD), 6MWTS, and recovery slope. There was a significant correlation between 6MWTS and the recovery slope (r= -0.575, p<0.001), between 6MWTS and 6MWTD (r= 0.414, p<0.001), and between recovery slope and 6MWTD (r= -0.454, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that both 6MWTS and recovery slope can predict 6MWTD.