Knowledge, Attitude, And Practice Towards Burnout and Anxiety Among Family Medicine Residents in Family Medicine Programs in Tabuk City, Saudi Arabia, 2023, Cross-Sectional Study

Stress and burnout are increasingly recognized as significant issues affecting resident physicians, impacting their performance, mental health, and patient care. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and contributing factors of stress and burnout among family medicine residents in Tabuk City, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2023 and June 2024 among 100 family medicine residents from the Ministry of Health and King Khalid Military Hospital programs in Tabuk. A self-administered online questionnaire, distributed via social media platforms, was used to collect data on sociodemographic variables, work-related characteristics, and stressors. Stress was assessed using 24 validated binary (Yes/No) items across five domains. Stress levels were categorized as low (0–8), moderate (9–16), or high (17–24). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 28, and chi-square or exact probability tests were used to explore associations. Among the 100 residents, 47.0% reported moderate stress levels, 30.0% low, and 23.0% high. Common stressors included fear of making mistakes (77.0%), time pressure (76.0%), and work-life imbalance (73.0%). Statistically significant factors associated with higher stress included being single (p = 0.027), having a distinction-level academic record (p = 0.049), longer duration of residency (p = 0.048), high-stress rotations such as Obstetrics & Gynecology (p = 0.001), working ≥72 hours per week (p = 0.035), and smoking (p = 0.001). A considerable proportion of family medicine residents in Tabuk experience moderate to high levels of stress and burnout, influenced by both personal and systemic factors. Targeted interventions, such as workload regulation, improved mentorship, and psychological support, are recommended to enhance resident well-being and program sustainability.