No Quick Fix For Physician Burnout, Depression
No quick fix for physician burnout, depression | Reuters
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Close to 44 percent of U.S. physicians are burned out, and 15 percent are depressed and thinking about suicide, according to a survey conducted by Medscape.
[Medscape National Physician Burnout, Depression & Suicide Report 2019 Medscape National Physician Burnout, Depression & Suicide Report 2019 ]
MORE THAN ONE DOCTOR PER DAY COMMITS SUICIDE - A RATE HIGHER THAN IN ANY OTHER PROFESSION AND MORE THAN TWICE THAT OF THE GENERAL POPULATION, MEDSCAPE REPORTS.
The Medscape survey found that male physicians are more likely to cope with burnout by exercising (51 percent males vs. 43 percent females), whereas female physicians are more likely to talk with friends and family (52 percent females vs. 37 percent males). More women eat junk food to cope (38 percent vs. 27 percent) and similar percentages of men and women drink alcohol (23 percent men; 21 percent women).
The Medscape survey pinpointed too many administrative tasks as a leading cause of physician burnout (59 percent), as well as spending too many hours at work (34 percent). Other factors included electronic health records (32 percent), insufficient compensation/reimbursement (29 percent) and “feeling like just a cog in a wheel” (20 percent).
Depression also affects physicians’ dealings with colleagues or staff, with 47 percent stating that they are more easily exasperated with staff/peers, and 40 percent stating they express their frustration in front of their colleagues.
Yet 64 percent of respondents said they don’t plan to seek help for depression or burnout and they have not sought help in the past.