Prevalence and Association of Hyperventilation Syndrome With Academic Burnout Among Female Undergraduate Medical Students at the University of Lahore: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study
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Abstract
Background: Hyperventilation syndrome is a form of dysfunctional breathing occurring without underlying medical pathology, while academic burnout is a major determinant of psychological health and academic performance among medical students; despite their shared coupling with stress and anxiety, the relationship between the two has rarely been examined in female medical students. Objective: To determine the prevalence of hyperventilation syndrome and its association with academic burnout among female undergraduate medical students. Methods: In this cross-sectional observational study, 136 female undergraduate medical students at the University of Lahore were recruited through convenience sampling over four months. A self-administered questionnaire incorporated the Nijmegen questionnaire for hyperventilation syndrome and the Maslach Burnout Inventory for academic burnout. Data were analysed in SPSS version 26 using independent-samples t-tests to compare burnout subscale scores between students with and without hyperventilation syndrome and Pearson correlation to assess associations with Nijmegen scores. Results: Hyperventilation syndrome was present in 30% of participants. All three burnout subscales differed significantly between affected and unaffected students: emotional exhaustion (p = 0.031), depersonalisation (p = 0.029), and personal accomplishment (p = 0.038). Nijmegen scores correlated weakly but significantly with emotional exhaustion (r = 0.203), depersonalisation (r = 0.211), and personal accomplishment (r = 0.201; all p < 0.05). Conclusion: Hyperventilation syndrome is significantly associated with academic burnout among female undergraduate medical students, supporting early screening and lifestyle, behavioural, and breathing-based interventions.
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