Physician Anxiety and Burnout: Symptom Correlates and a Prospective Pilot Study of App-Delivered Mindfulness Training

Summary & key facts

This small, nonrandomized pilot study gave a 30-day app-based mindfulness program (about 10 minutes per day) to 34 physicians who reported anxiety. Average anxiety scores fell by 48% after 1 month and by 57% after 3 months. Measures of burnout (cynicism and emotional exhaustion) were correlated with anxiety and also fell after the program. The study had no control group and used a small, self-selected sample, so the results are preliminary.

Key facts:

• 34 physicians who reported anxiety took part in the study.
• The app program was a 30-day mindfulness training designed for about 10 minutes per day.
• Average GAD-7 anxiety scores fell 48% at 1 month (P < .001) and 57% at 3 months (P < .001).
• Anxiety scores were correlated with burnout: cynicism (r = .43, P = .01) and emotional exhaustion (r = .71, P < .001).
• Cynicism scores fell 50% at posttreatment (P = .003) and remained 50% lower at 3-month follow-up (P = .009).
• Emotional exhaustion scores fell 20% at posttreatment (P < .001) and were 20% lower at 3-month follow-up (P = .003).
• This was a nonrandomized pilot study without a control group, with a small, self-selected sample from one health system, which limits how broadly the results can be applied.
• The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04137081).

Abstract

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04137081; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04137081.

Topics

COVID-19 and Mental Health Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout Perfectionism, Procrastination, Anxiety Studies

Categories

General Health Professions Health Professions Health Sciences

Tags

Anxiety Burnout Clinical psychology Cynicism Emotional exhaustion Generalized anxiety disorder Law Medicine Mindfulness Mindfulness-based stress reduction Political science Politics Psychiatry Psychology