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Abstract

Purpose: Medical and health sciences students are prone to burnout due to intense academic pressure and demanding schedule. Social support plays a vital role in mitigating burnout by providing emotional, informational, and practical assistance, which helps students navigate the challenges of their rigorous academic environment. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of burnout and the contributing factors among these students in a university in Malaysia. The association between social support and burnout among these students was also explored.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 459 undergraduate students in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia recruited using simple random sampling method. A self-administered questionnaire consisting of questions on the participant’s sociodemographic data, items from the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support was distributed. An extra item regarding the factors of burnout of the respondents was also added in the questionnaire.

Results: A response rate of 85.2% (n=391) was achieved. The prevalence of significant burnout was 60.1%. The top three factors of burnout include academic pressure and poor study hours, being overloaded with many roles and tasks and having negative thoughts such as thoughts of dropping out, dissatisfaction and pessimism. Most respondents (62.4%) were found to have a high level of perceived social support. Based on correlation analysis, overall social support (r = - 0.200, p < 0.01) and its subscales, family (r = - 0.246, p < 0.01) and significant other (r = - 0.119, p < 0.05), were negatively correlated with burnout.

Conclusion: Our study found a significant prevalence of burnout among the students, despite the high levels of perceived social support that may help in mitigating burnout. Based on the contributing factors mentioned, effective interventions should be taken to promote students’ wellbeing and create a supportive and conducive learning environment.

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