Mental Health Outcomes and Variations in Exercise in Residents (MOVE-Res)

The Impact of Physical Activity and Exercise Habits on Mental Health in Medical Residents: Associations With Anxiety, Depression, and Burnout - a Cross-sectional Study

The goal of this observational study is to learn about the relationship between physical activity levels and mental health outcomes in French medical residents. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Do lower physical activity levels or reductions in exercise since medical school relate to higher anxiety, depression, and burnout among medical residents? Do these associations differ by gender or training-related factors?

Participants will complete online questionnaires assessing their physical activity, changes in exercise habits since medical school, and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and burnout at a single point in time.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Burnout; Anxiety; Depression Anxiety Disorder; Physical Activity and Wellbeing; Resident Physicians
• Intervention / Treatment: Diagnostic test: Physical Activity and Mental Health Outcomes Assessment

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 206

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• France
  • Caen, France
    • CHU Caen Normandy

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population includes medical residents of all specialties at the University of Caen Normandy in Caen, France. Participants are primarily young adults, both male and female, across different years of residency. They are willing and able to complete online questionnaires assessing physical activity, changes in exercise habits since medical school, and mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, and burnout).

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Medical residents currently enrolled in a French residency program
• Age ≥ 18 years
• Able to provide informed consent
• Willing to complete online questionnaires on physical activity and mental health

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to complete questionnaires due to language or cognitive barriers
• Refusal or inability to provide informed consent

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
French medical residents	Diagnostic test: Physical Activity and Mental Health Outcomes Assessment; This observational assessment examines physical activity levels and changes in exercise habits, along with mental health outcomes, in medical residents using validated questionnaires for physical activity, anxiety, depression, and burnout.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Mental Health Outcomes (Anxiety and Depression)	Anxiety and depression in medical residents are assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Score Range: 0-21 for each subscale Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater anxiety or depressive symptoms	At study enrollment during residency training (baseline)
Mental Health Outcomes (Burnout)	Burnout in medical residents is measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), including emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Emotional Exhaustion: 0-54 (higher scores indicate greater burnout) Depersonalization: 0-30 (higher scores indicate greater burnout) Personal Accomplishment: 0-48 (lower scores indicate greater burnout)	At study enrollment during residency training (baseline)
Physical Activity Levels	Physical activity in medical residents is assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), capturing current activity levels and changes in exercise habits since medical school. Levels are categorized as low, moderate, or high and analyzed in relation to mental health outcomes. Outcome: Total physical activity expressed in MET-minutes/week Categories: Low, Moderate, High physical activity Interpretation: Higher values indicate greater physical activity	At study enrollment during residency training (baseline)
Sport Participation Frequency	Participants report the frequency of sport or exercise participation during residency, measured as the number of exercise sessions per week.	At study enrollment during residency training (baseline)
Sport Participation Duration	Participants report the average duration of exercise sessions during residency. Unit of Measure: Minutes per exercise session	At study enrollment during residency training (baseline)
Type of Sport	Participants report the type of exercise, both during medical school and residency.	At study enrollment during residency training (baseline)
Satisfaction With Current Physical Activity Level (Self-Reported Questionnaire)	Satisfaction with current physical activity level is assessed using a self-reported study questionnaire. Participants indicate whether they are satisfied or not satisfied with their current level of physical activity. Outcome Measure: Satisfaction with physical activity (Satisfied, Not satisfied)	At study enrollment during residency training (baseline)
Change in Physical Activity Level Since Medical School (Self-Reported Questionnaire)	Changes in physical activity level since medical school are assessed using a self-reported study questionnaire. Participants indicate whether their current level of physical activity has increased, decreased, or remained unchanged compared with their activity level during medical school. Categorical change in physical activity level (Increased / Decreased / No change)	At study enrollment during residency training (baseline)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Gender	Participants report their gender (male, female, or other) to examine its association with physical activity levels and mental health outcomes.	At study enrollment during residency training (baseline)
Age	Participants report their age in years to evaluate potential relationships with physical activity and mental health outcomes.	At study enrollment during residency training (baseline)
Marital Status and Children	Participants report marital status (single, married, in a relationship) and whether they have children, to assess potential influences on exercise habits and mental health outcomes.	At study enrollment during residency training (baseline)
Year of Residency	Participants indicate their current year of residency training to explore associations with physical activity and mental health outcomes across different stages of residency.	At study enrollment during residency training (baseline)
Specialty	Participants report their medical specialty to examine whether specialty-related factors are associated with physical activity patterns and mental health outcomes.	At study enrollment during residency training (baseline)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Hospital, Caen

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 3, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 8, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): September 6, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 16, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 23, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): February 2, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 2, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 23, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Behavioral Symptoms; Stress, Psychological; Behavior; Burnout, Psychological; Anxiety Disorders; Motor Activity; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Exercise
• Other Study ID Numbers: MOVE-Res

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No