Effects of Specific Protective Resources on the Burnout Levels of Selected Visayan Medical Students from Online-Based Education during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

BackgroundBurnout is a phenomenon characterized as a consistent state of being exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally. Grit, tolerance for ambiguity, religiosity, and social support are protective factors that may mitigate burnout and improve life satisfaction. This study assessed the association between specific protective resources of students from a medical school in Visayas at all year levels with online-based education-related burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsA total of 234 medical students from a medical school in Visayas during the academic year 2020-2021 were sampled using stratified random sampling technique. Demographics were obtained. Specific protective resources of grit, religiosity, social support and tolerance for ambiguity, and burnout symptoms were measured using validated online questionnaires. Protective associations of specific resources on burnout levels were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Predictive capabilities of resources with statistically significant protective effects were summarized using Receiving Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. ResultsAll year levels experienced burnout based on Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) subscales, with PBL 2 having the highest incidence comprising 33 respondents (49%). Majority of the students experienced moderate burnout on emotional exhaustion (44%) and low burnout on depersonalization (58%), while all of them had high burnout levels on the subscale of personal accomplishment (100%). Most students were moderately gritty (91%) and had high tolerance for ambiguity (98%), overall religiosity index (82%), and social support from significant others (68%); family (68%); and friends (76%). Grit, religiosity and social support had positive significant correlations and reductive effects to burnout. Tolerance for ambiguity did not show any significant relationship with burnout. Grit, religiosity and social support are good predictors of burnout. Grit had good diagnostic accuracy and discrimination. Religiosity and social support were moderately accurate predictors of burnout. ConclusionsGrit, religiosity and social support are significantly protective on burnout levels of medical students from online-based education during the COVID-19 pandemic.