Gender, isolation, work patterns and stress among old age psychiatrists

Abstract

Objective: To investigate work patterns and stress in consultant old age psychiatrists over a period of 1 week and to attempt to identify areas amenable to change.

Design: Postal survey.

Participants: Full-time old age psychiatrists on the list held by the Faculty of Old Age Psychiatry, Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Main outcome measures: Hours spent on different work activities during a period of 1 week, Stress Checklist score, stressors perceived by respondents.

Main results: Men and women doctors did not differ in numbers of hours worked. Consultants working with colleagues worked similar hours to single-handed consultants. Community activity was greater among consultants working with colleagues than among single-handed doctors, whose work was based more in outpatient clinics. For the whole group, time in acute ward rounds correlated positively with stress score and time spent on research at home correlated negatively with stress score.

Conclusions: Doctors spending more than 50 hours at work might be advised to review their work pattern. Excessive time on administrative activities should be reduced. Peer support should be encouraged. Consultants and managers should be sensitive to work patterns and possible sources of stress.