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. 2021 Oct;45(5):557-565.
doi: 10.1007/s40596-021-01490-3. Epub 2021 Jun 14.

Depression, Suicidal Thoughts, and Burnout Among Physicians During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Survey-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Samer Al-Humadi  1 , Brian Bronson  1 , Samantha Muhlrad  1 , Megan Paulus  1 , Houlin Hong  1 , Ricardo Cáceda  2   3
Affiliations

Depression, Suicidal Thoughts, and Burnout Among Physicians During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Survey-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Samer Al-Humadi et al. Acad Psychiatry. 2021 Oct.

Abstract

Objectives: Frontline workers have been a bulwark in the fight against COVID-19, while being subject to major unexpected stressors. These include conflicting news, evolving guidelines, perceived inadequate personal protective equipment, overflow of patients with rising death counts, absence of disaster training, and limitations in the implementation of social distancing. This study investigates the incidence and associated factors of depression, suicidal thoughts, and burnout among physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: In a cross-sectional survey-based study of resident, fellow, and attending physicians from a tertiary university hospital during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York from April 24 to May 15, 2020, demographics and practice specialty, attending vs. resident/fellow status, call frequency, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and depression severity were examined.

Results: Two hundred twenty-five subjects completed the survey (response rate of 16.3%), with rates of 6.2% depression, 6.6% suicidal ideation, and 19.6% burnout. Depression, suicidal ideation, and burnout were all associated with history of prior depression/anxiety and frequency of on call. Suicidal ideation and burnout were also associated with younger age. There was no difference in rates of depression, suicidal ideation, or burnout between attending and resident physicians. Female physicians reported less work-life balance and more burnout.

Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of considering physician mental health during times of peak stress, such as natural or man-made disasters. The prominence of premorbid depression/anxiety as a relevant factor underscores the need to further understand physician mental health and provide early screening and treatment.

Keywords: Burnout; COVID-19; Coronavirus disease 2019; Depression; Physician mental health; Suicidal ideation.

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Conflict of interest statement

RC has received research funding from Neuronetics, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute on Aging, and the Veteran Health Administration. All other authors declare no conflicts of interest to report or financial interests related to this manuscript.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Temporal representation of number of patients COVID-19 positive and persons under investigation (gray line) and residents redeployed (black line) at Stony Brook University Hospital during March–May 2020. The dotted line indicates the period during which the survey was completed
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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