THE BURNOUT SYNDROME AND MAINTAINING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AMONG DENTAL MEDICINE STUDENTS AND DOCTORS

Abstract

Objective: To examine the association between burnout symptoms and healthy lifestyle habits among dental medicine students at the University of Split School of Medicine and compare the results with dental medicine doctors in Split-Dalmatia County.

Materials and methods: The study involved 85 students from the Medical University of Split and 75 dental medicine doctors
from Split-Dalmatia County. The research was conducted using an anonymous survey questionnaire and the Google Forms application. The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OBI) was used to assess burnout symptoms, while the Fantastic Lifestyle Questionnaire (FLQ) was used to evaluate adherence to healthy lifestyle habits.

Results: 79.4% of respondents considered themselves to have good stress-coping skills, with no significant differences between the groups (P = 0.836). OBI results showed a significantly higher overall score (P = 0.015) and exhaustion domain score (P = 0.011) among the students. In the group with good stress-coping skills, OBI domains showed significantly lower results compared to the group with poor stress-coping skills. FLQ results indicated that 51.2% of participants adhered very well, 33.7% well, and
only 5% excellently to a healthy lifestyle. The group with good stress-coping skills had significantly higher FLQ scores compared to those who coped poorly with stress (P < 0.001). A negative correlation was found between the total FLQ score and OBI score (P < 0.001). Finally, job/study satisfaction and frequent physical activity were associated with lower levels of burnout symptoms.

Conclusion: A healthy lifestyle may play an important protective role against burnout syndrome in dental medicine students and doctors. Given the significance and prevalence of burnout in this population, further studies are needed to explore these associations.