Hostname: page-component-89b8bd64d-r6c6k Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-05T14:39:56.707Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mobile meditation for improving quality of life, anxiety and depression among surgical residents and faculty

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 October 2021

M D Hicks Open the ORCID record for M D Hicks [Opens in a new window] ,
L A Braden ,
E M Walsh ,
B J Greene  and
J W Grayson
M D Hicks*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
L A Braden
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
E M Walsh
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
B J Greene
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
J W Grayson
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Dr Melanie D Hicks, FOT 1155, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-3412, USA E-mail: melaniehicks@uabmc.edu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

Burnout, anxiety and depression are commonly reported among surgical residents and faculty members. Resident training programmes are encouraged to implement structured wellness initiatives, to address emotional stress.

Methods

Thirty otolaryngology residents and faculty members were invited to participate in this prospective pilot trial. Participants were randomised to either the intervention group, which involved completing 10 mobile meditation sessions, or the control group. Outcomes were measured with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale-7, Patient Health Questionnaire and Professional Quality of Life scale.

Results

Nineteen participants completed the study. Participants in the intervention group had a significantly greater mean change in Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale-7 score (−2.7 ± 3.335 vs 0.33 ± 1.225; p = 0.04). There was no significant difference in average change in Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores or Professional Quality of Life scale sub-scores between the intervention and control groups.

Conclusion

Short meditation sessions can significantly improve anxiety in surgical residents and faculty members, and they offer a simple, attainable and effective wellness intervention.

Keywords

Quality Of LifeBurnoutMedical EducationPsychology

Information

Type
Main Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 136 , Issue 11 , November 2022 , pp. 1034 - 1038
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

Footnotes

Dr M Hicks takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

References

Lacy, BE, Chan, JL. Physician burnout: the hidden health care crisis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2018;16:311–17CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gazelle, G, Liebschutz, JM, Riess, H. Physician burnout: coaching a way out. J Gen Intern Med 2015;30:508–13CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Swain, JD, Soegaard Ballester, JM, Luc, JGY, Han, JJ. Burning the candle at both ends: mitigating surgeon burnout at the training stages. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2021;162:637–42CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Senturk, JC, Melnitchouk, N. Surgeon burnout: defining, identifying, and addressing the new reality. Clin Colon Rectal Surg 2019;32:407–14Google ScholarPubMed
Arora, S, Sevdalis, N, Nestel, D, Woloshynowych, M, Darzi, A, Kneebone, R. The impact of stress on surgical performance: a systematic review of the literature. Surgery 2010;147:318–30CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wetzel, CM, Kneebone, RL, Woloshynowych, M, Nestel, D, Moorthy, K, Kidd, J et al. The effects of stress on surgical performance. Am J Surg 2006;191:5–10CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gleason, F, Baker, SJ, Wood, T, Wood, L, Hollis, RH, Chu, DI et al. Emotional intelligence and burnout in surgical residents: a 5-year study. J Surg Educ 2020;77:e63–70CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lebares, CC, Guvva, EV, Ascher, NL, O'Sullivan, PS, Harris, HW, Epel, ES. Burnout and stress among US surgery residents: psychological distress and resilience. J Am Coll Surg 2018;226:80–90CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Elmore, LC, Jeffe, DB, Jin, L, Awad, MM, Turnbull, IR. National survey of burnout among US general surgery residents. J Am Coll Surg 2016;223:440–51CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kashat, L, Falcone, T, Carter, B, Parham, K, Kavanagh, KR. Taking a systematic approach to resident wellness: a pilot study. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020;162:489–91CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lebares, CC, Guvva, EV, Olaru, M, Sugrue, LP, Staffaroni, AM, Delucchi, KL et al. Efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive training in surgery: additional analysis of the mindful surgeon pilot randomized clinical trial. JAMA Netw Open 2019;2:e194108CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gurland, B. Mindfulness-based training improves technical skills and emotional regulation for surgical residents. JAMA Netw Open 2019;2:e194087CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Civantos, AM, Byrnes, Y, Chang, C, Prasad, A, Chorath, K, Poonia, SK et al. Mental health among otolaryngology resident and attending physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic: national study. Head Neck 2020;42:1597–609CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zhang, WR, Wang, K, Yin, L, Zhao, WF, Xue, Q, Peng, M et al. Mental health and psychosocial problems of medical health workers during the COVID-19 epidemic in China. Psychother Psychosom 2020;89:242–50CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lai, J, Ma, S, Wang, Y, Cai, Z, Hu, J, Wei, N et al. Factors associated with mental health outcomes among health care workers exposed to coronavirus disease 2019. JAMA Netw Open 2020;3:e203976CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pappa, S, Ntella, V, Giannakas, T, Giannakoulis, VG, Papoutsi, E, Katsaounou, P. Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Behav Immun 2020;88:901–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yoon, DH, Koller, S, Duldulao, PMN, Ault, GT, Lee, SW, Cologne, KG. COVID-19 impact on colorectal daily practice--how long will it take to catch up? J Gastrointest Surg 2021;25:260–8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cano-Valderrama, O, Morales, X, Ferrigni, CJ, Martin-Antona, E, Turrado, V, Garcia, A et al. Acute care surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain: changes in volume, causes and complications. A multicentre retrospective cohort study. Int J Surg 2020;80:157–61Google ScholarPubMed
Wong, JSH, Cheung, KMC. Impact of COVID-19 on orthopaedic and trauma service: an epidemiological study. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2020;102:e80CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tonna, JE, Hanson, HA, Cohan, JN, McCrum, ML, Horns, JJ, Brooke, BS et al. Balancing revenue generation with capacity generation: case distribution, financial impact and hospital capacity changes from cancelling or resuming elective surgeries in the US during COVID-19. BMC Health Serv Res 2020;20:1119CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kuhar, HN, Heilingoetter, A, Bergman, M, Worobetz, N, Chiang, T, Matrka, L. Otolaryngology in the time of corona: assessing operative impact and risk during the COVID-19 crisis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020;163:307–15CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Urbaniak, GC, Plous, S. Research Randomizer (Version 4.0) [Computer software], 2013. In: http://www.randomizer.org/Google Scholar
Toussaint, A, Hüsing, P, Gumz, A, Wingenfeld, K, Harter, M, Schramm, E et al. Sensitivity to change and minimal clinically important difference of the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7). J Affect Disord 2020;265:395–401CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dutheil, F, Aubert, C, Pereira, B, Dambrun, M, Moustafa, F, Mermillod, M et al. Suicide among physicians and health-care workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 2019;14:e0226361CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carr, GD. Physician suicide--a problem for our time. J Miss State Med Assoc 2008;49:308–12Google ScholarPubMed
McManus, IC, Keeling, A, Paice, E. Stress, burnout and doctors' attitudes to work are determined by personality and learning style: a twelve year longitudinal study of UK medical graduates. BMC Med 2004;2:29CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Riall, TS, Teiman, J, Chang, M, Cole, D, Leighn, T, McClafferty, H et al. Maintaining the fire but avoiding burnout: implementation and evaluation of a resident well-being program. J Am Coll Surg 2018;226:369–79CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aggarwal, R, Deutsch, JK, Medina, J, Kothari, N. Resident wellness: an intervention to decrease burnout and increase resiliency and happiness. MedEdPORTAL 2017;13:10651CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yang, E, Schamber, E, Meyer, RML, Gold, JI. Happier healers: randomized controlled trial of mobile mindfulness for stress management. J Altern Complement Med 2018;24:505–13CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wen, L, Sweeney, TE, Welton, L, Trockel, M, Katznelson, L. Encouraging mindfulness in medical house staff via smartphone app: a pilot study. Acad Psychiatry 2017;41:646–50CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed