New Study Says Doctors Are at Higher Risk of Poor Mental Health

Doctors are at higher risk of depression, anxiety and suicide than individuals in almost any other profession, according to a global review led by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney and Black Dog Institute.

The study also looked at the most impactful interventions that helped medical professionals stave off these issues.

"In our study, we analyzed 24 international studies involving 2336 practicing doctors and found that certain mental health interventions can improve mental health outcomes for this high-risk group, and that these positive effects appear to hold up over time," Dr. Katherine Petrie, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UNSW Sydney and Black Dog Institute and lead author of the study, said to MedicalXPress.

"Skills-based approaches—such as mindfulness and mind-body techniques like meditation—had a moderate positive effect on reducing symptoms like anxiety and depression. Other skills-based programs—such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), stress management, and peer support—had an even stronger positive effect," Dr. Petrie stated.