Burnout syndrome and associated factors among university teaching staff in Cameroon: Effect of the practice of sport and physical activities and leisures

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of burnout syndrome among university teaching staff in Cameroon; and to establish if the practice of physical activities and leisures could have preventive effect.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, socio-professional conditions, Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educator Survey (MBI-ES) to evaluate burnout syndrome, and Ricci-Gagnon metrics to assess level of physical activities practice among grades of teaching staff, in the various faculties of the University of Douala, Cameroon.

RESULTS

Three hundreds and three teaching staff members aged 43±7 years were included (69% males). The prevalence of burnout syndrome was 68%, distributed within the three dimensions as follows: emotional exhaustion (15.2%), depersonalization (32.1%) and loss of personal accomplishment (22.1%), with 57% low level, 38% moderate and 6% severe. Burnout affected respectively 55.4% lecturers, 38.3% senior lecturers and 6.3% professors. Burnout was significantly associated with poor working conditions (P=0.0001), unsatisfactory salary (P=0.0001), part time teaching in private university institutions (P=0.027), sensation of strenuous job (P=0.002), conflict with colleagues (P=0.028), sedentariness (P=0.007). Sport and physical activities showed significant protective effect against burnout (P=0.004), the same with leisures (P=0.016).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence burnout syndrome is high among university teaching staff in Cameroon. The practice of sport and physical activities and leisures has a protective effect against burnout syndrome.

[Effect of intermittent variable intensity exercise on QT variation and risk of sudden cardiac death among Cameroonian school adolescents]

INTRODUCTION

Several cases of sudden deaths are observed among students practicing sport and physical activity (SPA). Just few studies have been carried out on the variation of the QT (interval) and risk of sudden death during sporting exercises.

AIM

To determine the effect of variable intermittent stress intensity on the variation of QT and the risk of sudden cardiac death.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Form 4, lower sixth and upper sixth students were recruited from a high school in Douala (Cameroon). Each subject was tested; starting with a 2-km walk followed by a sprint race or an endurance race, protocol I (P1) or the reverse; protocol II (P2). Two electrocardiograms were recorded; prior to the beginning of the SPA and 5minutes after the last race. QT was corrected using four formulas.

RESULTS

Forty-one subjects (21 women and 20 men), mean age 18±2 years were recruited. At the end of the exercise, corrected QT increased with Bazzet's formula and decreased with Frahmingam's formula. The difference was not significant with Fridericia and Hodges formulas. The frequency of long QT was higher at the end of the exercise with Bazzet's formula (12.2% vs. 24.4%, P=0.009) while the difference was not significant for the other formulas.

CONCLUSION

The risk of sudden cardiac death increases significantly after SPA. More studies on large samples are needed.

Are there differences in performance, metabolism, and quadriceps muscle activity in black African and Caucasian athletes during brief intermittent and intense exercise?

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether there are any differences in power output (PO) and/or quadriceps muscle (Quad) activity between black African and Caucasian football players during a force-velocity (fv) exercise test, which consisted of performing maximal 6-s sprints against an increasing load. Each subject started the test with a load of 2 kg and then recovered for 5 min before repeating the same test with a load increased by 2 kg. When the pedal frequency did not exceed 130 rev x min(-1), the load was increased by only 1 kg. Each subject attained the load corresponding to his maximal power if an additional increase in load (+1 kg) induced a power decrease. Nine black Africans (mean age 24.2 +/- 3.3 years) and nine Caucasians (24.7 +/- 4.2 years) (matched for stature and aerobic fitness) participated in the fv exercise test. During the test, PO, blood lactate, and the quadriceps electromyography (EMG) root mean square (Quad RMS) were assessed. Higher blood lactate was observed in Caucasians than in black Africans for POs over the load range from 4 kg up to the maximal power. However, PO and Quad RMS values were similar in Caucasians and black Africans. They also had similar lean leg volume (LLV) and consequently produced similar PO/LLV and Quad RMS/LLV values. Overall, our results suggest that Caucasians and black Africans matched for stature, VO(2max), and training background have similar PO and Quad RMS values, but different blood lactate concentrations during brief, intermittent, intense exercise performed on a cycloergometer.

Effects of Prior Exercise on Force-Velocity Test Performance and Quadriceps EMG

This study investigated the effects of prior exercise on performance during a subsequent force-velocity (FV) exercise test. After determination of the individual maximal aerobic power (MAP) during maximal graded exercise testing, fifteen trained male subjects (age: 25 +/- 3 y) were randomly assigned to perform the FV exercise test without prior exercise (NPE) or preceded by prior exercise (PE) (10 min at 60 % of MAP, followed after 1-min rest interval by four intervals of 30-s cycling at 100 % MAP with 15-s rest intervals, then 10 min recovery). Blood samples were drawn at rest, and then for each work load at the 3rd minute of recovery. Skin temperature (T (sk)) from the rectus femoris and heart rate (HR) were measured continuously during prior exercise, the FV test, and during the 5-min recovery period at the end of each FV test. The Root Mean Square (RMS) of the surface electromyogram (EMG) signals obtained from the vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), and rectus femoris (RF) were calculated during each sprint for each FV test. The lactate increase for each load (deltaLa) during the FV test was significantly less following PE than NPE. However, the lactate concentration (La) was significantly higher in the FV test following PE than NPE. There was an improvement in power output during the first two sprints (2 and 4 kg) following PE compared to NPE. There was also a more pronounced decrease in VL, VM, and RF RMS in PE compared to NPE. Our results showed that the first few sprints may provide sufficient prior exercise for the FV test. The higher lactate concentration following PE than NPE, despite no difference in maximum power, suggests that a large lactate accumulation may not be detrimental to FV test performance. However, a greater lactate concentration and T(sk) may be associated with a decrease in RMS.

Venous blood lactate increase after vertical jumping in volleyball athletes

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that venous blood lactate concentrations ([La-]) would vary from the beginning of brief exercise. Maximal vertical jumping was used as a model of brief intense exercise. Eleven healthy male volleyball players, aged [mean (SE)] 18.5 (0.7) years, performed three exercise tests with different protocols, each separated by quiet seated recovery periods of 45 min. After the first test, consisting of a single maximal jump [lasting approximately equals 0.6 s for the pushing phase, and in which the subjects jumped 64 (2.2) cm], forearm venous [La-] increased significantly with respect to rest at 1 min (t1), 3 min (t3), and 5 min (t5) of recovery. The second test, comprising six maximal jumps, each separated by 20-s recovery periods, resulted in an unchanged [La-] with respect to the baseline value. After the third test [i.e., six consecutive maximal jumps that lasted a total of 7.36 (0.33) s], [La-] increased significantly at t3 and t5 with respect to the pre-test value (F= 10.3, P < 0.001). We conclude that a significant venous [La-] increase occurs after vertical jumping. This result may be explained by the activation of lactic anaerobic metabolism at the very onset of exercise, which participates in energy production and/or in the resynthesis of the phosphocreatine that was used during such brief exercise.