The mental wellbeing of physicians has become an increasingly discussed topic during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper reviews relevant literature and brings to light the prevalence of mental illness and suicide among physicians, despite their rigorous medical training, which has been exacerbated by the strain of COVID-19 on healthcare systems. Potential solutions are raised, with evidence to support them, as well as recommendations for modifications to physician training.
Given physicians' lack of direct management, attempts to improve mental health among the population must incorporate methods to provide coherent interventions and policies that will be constant throughout a physician’s career. A method to accomplish this is proposed in three levels of operation: the individual physician, the health system and professional colleges, and the external regulators. Of these levels, however, it is noted that initiatives at the organisational level are most in demand.
In the health system, initiatives to reduce mental illness should focus on risk-factor reduction. It is noted that modifications to workplace practices such as shortened shift length have shown improvement in physician mental health according to the reviewed studies. Furthermore, regulating bodies can positively influence a physician’s willingness and likelihood to report mental illness based on the availability of support systems and legislations for reporting illness. Urgent action is required by these parties to address the worsening state of mental wellness among physicians.
Citation:
Harvey, S. B., Epstein, R. M., Glozier, N., Petrie, K., Strudwick, J., Gayed, A., Dean, K., & Henderson, M. (2021). Mental illness and suicide among physicians. The Lancet, 398(10303), 920–930. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01596-8
Closed Access
Comments