A suicide at PGI, and a disturbing trend

Mohit Khanna in Chandigarh 

A report published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry recently quoted a PGI Chandigarh study, which said nearly 30% doctors (mostly junior resident doctors) suffer from depression, and 17% have thought of committing suicide.

The report, “Psychological problems and burnout among medical professionals of a tertiary care hospital of North India: A cross-sectional study”, published in April was based on an online survey conducted by the department of psychiatry of the PGI.

The study came close on the heels of suicide by Dr Krishna Prasath, a junior resident in the department of radio diagnosis and imaging, PGIMER. 

“Nothing has changed. We are still hard-pressed while most of the senior faculty is on a month-long holiday trip,” says a junior doctor posted in the OPD.

Of the 1,721 faculty members at the PGI, 445 doctors participated in the online survey. Of them, 376 were resident doctors while 69 were faculty members. More than 90% participants reported some level of burnout. Long working hours, stretching from 18 to 24 hours, was the prime reason for a growing stress and burnout.

Nearly 80% doctors are leading a sedentary lifestyle, while 72% could not find time to read books, states the report. Nearly 27% doctors admitted to watching porn (once a week) as a source of recreation. The survey found that 77% doctors remained hooked to the internet and 34% admitted to be chatting on social media.

Incidents such as reprimanding a patient or being scolded by a senior resident are common. Recently a junior resident had lodged a complaint with the authorities after being given an earful by a senior resident, but nothing happened. 

The study also said many students were unhappy with their decision to join medical sciences.

A doctor, who recently completed his MBBS from GMCH-32 and is trying for an MD seat, says he rues the day when he opted for medical profession. “The studies appear endless. MBBS doctors are considered as diploma-holders. The options are either enroll in an MD or MS course or work at government dispensary for low wages. And even after doing MD, a race starts to pursue the Doctorate of Medicine (DM) course. By then the doctor reaches his 40s,” says the doctor who does not want to be identified.

The survey said over 16% doctors admitted to drinking during weekends to beat the stress, and that and over 5% are hooked to tobacco and 6% to cannabis.

The findings suggest that psychiatry help is still a taboo among doctors. Most doctors who participated in the study said that they feared being labeled as mentally unfit.