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Keenan I, Van Poel E, Clays E, Willems S, Milićević MŠ, Tripković K, Murauskienė L, Hoffmann K, Assenova R, Busneag C, Bojaj G, Collins C. Insights into general practitioners' self-care across 38 countries during the pandemic: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:767. [PMID: 39707472 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-02066-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 10/08/2024] [Indexed: 12/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The adoption of healthy self-care practices has proven necessary for professional life, as they often serve as a shield against stressors in the workplace. The COVID-19 pandemic created a high strain on general practitioners (GPs), contributing to increased workload, burnout, and anxiety. The present study aimed to identify self-care practices adopted by GPs amid the COVID-19 pandemic; and to explore the relationships between self-care practices and risk of distress. METHODS The current study utilized an online questionnaire arriving from the PRICOV-19 study, which was distributed among GP practices across 38 countries. The main focus was on the open-text responses where participants disclosed self-care practices employed to maintain mental health during COVID-19. The Six Domains of Self-Care theoretical framework was applied to investigate GP self-care practices across 6 domains including Physical, Professional, Relational, Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual. The Mayo Clinic Well-Being Index (eWBI) was applied to assess mental well-being and risk of distress among GPs. The analysis was carried out using SPSS Statistics software. RESULTS In total, 2,949 GPs provided open-text responses on maintaining their mental health. 65.5% of GPs had an eWBI score of ≥ 2 and were considered at risk of distress. The majority of the participants prioritised physical (61.7%), followed by relational (38.0%) and psychological (34.6%) self-care practices to maintain their mental health during the pandemic. GPs who applied relational, physical, and professional self-care were significantly less likely to experience depression, stress, and emotional exhaustion, in comparison with the ones who did not apply these practices. GPs who practiced professional self-care practices had the lowest distress risk (eWBI = 1.99). Overall, 5% of GPs disclosed not applying any practices to maintain their mental health during the pandemic and were the most prone to mental health distress. CONCLUSIONS GPs have navigated the pandemic uniquely, and despite applying self-care practices they faced some level of impact, hence self-care interventions for healthcare professionals should be regarded as essential rather than optional. A long-term investment in strategies focused on improving GPs' self-care is necessary to increase resilience among GPs and ensure their optimal well-being levels are achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Keenan
- Irish College of General Practitioners, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Esther Van Poel
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Quality and Safety Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Els Clays
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sara Willems
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Milena Šantrić Milićević
- Institute of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- Laboratory for Strengthening Capacity and Performance of Health System and Workforce for Health Equity, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- Ministry of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia Project Contract Number 451-03-47/2023-01/200110, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Liubovė Murauskienė
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Kathryn Hoffmann
- Department of Primary Care Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Radost Assenova
- Department of Urology and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Carmen Busneag
- Spiru Haret University, Bucharest, Romania
- Medical Department, National Romanian Television, Bucharest, Romania
- Individual Medical Office "dr. Busneag Carmen", Bucharest, Romania
| | - Gazmend Bojaj
- Management of Health Institutions and Services, Faculty of Health Science, Heimerer College, Pristina, Kosovo
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Mirzaei A, Jamshidian S, Movahedi M, Haghani F. Identifying and prioritizing the stressors of obstetrics and gynecology residents. JOURNAL OF EDUCATION AND HEALTH PROMOTION 2023; 12:373. [PMID: 38144005 PMCID: PMC10743927 DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_145_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies have shown that the obstetrics and gynecology residents face severe burnout and a large number of stressors, and excessive stress could adversely affect performance and quality of patient care. Thus, the current study attempts to identify and prioritize the stressors of obstetrics and gynecology residents at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 62 residents and faculty members in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2022. Respondents were selected by census method. The stressors of obstetrics and gynecology residents were investigated using a researcher-made, 37-item questionnaire. The questionnaire was prepared based on a literature review and respondents' opinions, then its validity and reliability were confirmed. Collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 20, non-parametric Friedman's test, and descriptive statistics methods. RESULT This study included 46 respondents (74%), 16 faculty members, and 30 residents, who were asked to rate each stressor of the given questionnaire. The residents and their teachers believed that the main stressors were heavy workloads, lack of personal time, long shifts, financial problems, sleep deprivation, and compassion fatigue. Insufficient study time, study workload, and inappropriate assessment systems for residents were among the high-priority stressors, according to the residents. However, the faculty members reported medical errors, unreasonable expectations from residents, and residents' multiple responsibilities as high-priority stressors. According to the Friedman's test, there was a significant difference in rates received from both the faculty members and medical residents (P value <0/001). CONCLUSION The stressors due to the nature of obstetrics and gynecology, medical care, residency training, and medical resident assessment are the highest priority. The findings of this study could be beneficial to the officials in residency training programs to take the necessary corrective actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Mirzaei
- Department of Medical Education, Medical Education Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Sepide Jamshidian
- Department of Medical Education, Medical Education Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Minoo Movahedi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Fariba Haghani
- Department of Medical Education, Medical Education Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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Huang CLC. Underrecognition and un-dertreatment of stress-related psychiatric disorders in physicians: Determinants, challenges, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. World J Psychiatry 2023; 13:131-140. [PMID: 37123097 PMCID: PMC10130963 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v13.i4.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Medical practitioners’ duties are highly stressful and performed in a particularly challenging and competitive work environment. Stress and burnout among physicians have emerged as a worldwide public health problem in recent years. A high level of distress and burnout can lead to clinically significant behavioral health problems, such as stress-related psychiatric disorders. Mounting evidence shows that physicians have higher risks of insomnia, anxiety, and depression than the general population, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. However, the behavioral health problems of these vulnerable healthcare professionals are noteworthy for being underrecognized and undertreated. In this mini-review, we summarize the current progress of studies on the prevalence and determinants of distress and stress-related psychiatric disorders among phy-sicians and their healthcare-seeking behaviors. We discuss future research directions and the clinical approach that may maximize self-awareness and promote prompt and adequate treatment for clinically significant behavioral health problems of physicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Lung-Cheng Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan 710, Taiwan
- Department of Medicinal and Applied Chemistry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
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Steiner-Hofbauer V, Katz HW, Grundnig JS, Holzinger A. Female participation or "feminization" of medicine. Wien Med Wochenschr 2022; 173:125-130. [PMID: 36053405 PMCID: PMC9438362 DOI: 10.1007/s10354-022-00961-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
More and more women chose medicine as their profession. Female students and graduates outnumber their male colleagues in Austria and the EU. However, the career paths of men and women differ after a certain point, and more and more female talent is lost along the career stages. Women hold only 30% of professor positions at state medical universities in Austria and only 11.9% of all chief physicians are female. Motherhood and related absence is the main career obstacle, but gender bias and missing role models are also factors hindering women to thrive. Improved working conditions would be beneficial for all members of the medical profession. Future generations (Generation Y, Generation Z) will likely expedite changes toward a better work-life balance and claim the right to find fulfillment besides work. Compatibility of family and work and the chance to individualize career paths could be important factors for employers to find and bind their employees. Additionally, (gender) diverse teams improve the group process and collective intelligence. Therefore, patient care and innovation can only benefit from a diverse medical workforce.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Henri W Katz
- Teaching Center, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia S Grundnig
- Teaching Center, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anita Holzinger
- Teaching Center, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090, Vienna, Austria
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Fernández-Hernández JL, Herranz-Hernández P, Segovia-Torres L. Refusal of Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa: Mental Health Professionals' Opinion on Willingness and Role Stress. REVISTA COLOMBIANA DE PSIQUIATRIA (ENGLISH ED.) 2021; 52:S0034-7450(21)00046-9. [PMID: 33888305 DOI: 10.1016/j.rcp.2021.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The hospitalisation of patients with anorexia nervosa poses an important bioethical quandary and can generate stress for the healthcare professionals. Our goal was to know and analyse the opinion of mental health professionals on some conditions for applying the involuntary hospitalisation of patients with anorexia nervosa. METHODS Cross-sectional descriptive observational study on a sample of 270 mental health professionals, using an ad hoc questionnaire with scores ranging from 0 to 10. RESULTS The professionals state that, in some cases, the patient accepts admission reluctantly: 7.74 (95% CI, 7.55-7.93). In the event of physical risk, it is difficult for them to combine respect for the patient's autonomy and the duty of care: 6.06 (95% CI, 5.70-6.41) and the relationship with the patient is largely oriented to convince them: 7.18 (95% CI, 6.91-7.46). They do not decide on the suitability of the participation of non-medical staff in the decision: 5.13 (95% CI, 4.75-5.52), or if the indication should correspond to someone other than the doctor in charge of their care: 4.79 (95% CI, 4.39-5.19). They reject the possibility of conscientious objection: 4.05 (95% CI, 3.68-4.41). CONCLUSIONS Mental health professionals are subject to ambiguous work demands, which affects their care dynamics.
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