Intern Mental Health Interventions.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to examine interventions implemented to prevent burnout and depression during intern year, focusing on the effectiveness of mindfulness practices.
Results Summary
Most studies showed a modest reduction in depression and burnout with mindfulness interventions, but many lacked sufficient statistical power to reach significant conclusions. More research is needed for generalizable findings.
Population
Medical interns and residents.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
some form of mindfulness practice | decrease | depression and burnout | interns | modest | demonstrate a modest reduction | #1 |
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Intern year is a uniquely stressful transition with interns facing higher rates of major depression compared with the general population. While burnout and depression during intern year are well documented, we aimed to examine which interventions have been implemented to prevent these issues and to consider the effectiveness of these interventions. RECENT FINDINGS: Based on a review of recent literature, we located very few studies focusing on interventions for resident mental health and even fewer focusing on interns specifically. We found that such studies vary in design with most using online or app-based tools and others incorporating in-person workshops. There is significant variation among the scales used and the primary outcomes in each study. While most studies demonstrate a modest reduction in depression and burnout with implementation of some form of mindfulness practice, many were unable to reach a significant level of statistical power. More research is needed to determine generalizable findings.