30% doctors depressed, 17% contemplated suicide

Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 3

As many as 30 per cent doctors are suffering from depression, while 17 per cent even thought of committing suicide, states a report published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry.

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

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 per cent participants reported some level of burnout.

Long working hours, stretching from 18 to 24 hours, was the prime reason behind the growing stress and burnout among doctors.

Nearly 80 per cent doctors are leading a sedentary lifestyle, while 72 per cent could not find time to read books, states the report.

Nearly 27 per cent doctors admitted to be watching pornographic movies (once a week) as a source of recreation. The survey found that 77 per cent doctors remained hooked to the Internet and 34 per cent admitted to be chatting on the social media.

Nearly 32.8 per cent doctors admitted that they had shouted at patients and their attendants. And 54.4 per cent doctors admitted that they could not give sufficient time to the patients.

The issue of communication, that had led to suicide by Dr Krishna Prasath in February, yet again figured during the survey with 21.6 per cent doctors admitting that they face communication pangs.

The rising number of patients arriving at the PGI is becoming a major reason of burnout among doctors as 64.3 per cent doctors stated that they were seeing more than the desired patients.

Over 31 per cent doctors feel that their seniors were not showing empathy towards patients and 43 per cent doctors feel that they are not treated well by their seniors.

Nearly 48 per cent doctors admitted that senior faculty colleagues had positive and negative biases towards particular residents.

Over 16 per cent doctors admitted to be consuming alcohol during weekends to beat the stress and over 5 per cent are hooked to tobacco and 6 per cent admitted to be using cannabis.

In the findings, experts stated that the presence of stress, depression and burnout was associated with long working hours, which was resulting in negative patient-related outcomes or adverse response to a therapeutic intervention.

Adverse doctor-patient interactions and interpersonal interactions among colleagues were also leading to stress.

The experts suggest that there is an urgent need for developing mechanisms to evaluate work-related stress, burnout and depression among doctors.

Psychiatry help still a taboo

The findings also suggested that psychiatry help is still a taboo among doctors. There is need for equipping medical professionals with skills of stress management and mitigate stigma associated with mental disorders so that at the time of the need, the professionals can seek help.