Suicidal Thoughts Among Medical Residents With Burnout

The prevalence of burnout & its relationship with suicidal thoughts was investigated in Dutch medical residents. 5126 medical residents received a self-report questionnaire. Burnout was measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Residents were asked about the frequency of suicidal thoughts. The response rate was 41.3%. 432 residents were classified as burnout, 12% reported having suicidal thoughts at least 1 time during their residency, & 1% many times. Suicidal thoughts were substantially more prevalent in the group with burnout in comparison to non-burnout. Knowledge about this relationship could be important for suicide prevention. (8 refs.) JA