Medscape identified 27 elements related to physician depression in its National Physician Burnout, Depression & Suicide Report 2019.
Medscape surveyed 15,069 physicians in 29-plus specialties about suicide, burnout and depression, and asked men and women to rank the factors that contribute to depression on a seven-point scale, where seven is the highest.
Twenty-seven statistics related to physician depression:
Men:
1. Job: 5.6
2. Finances: 3.9
3. Family: 3.1
4. Romantic relationship: 2.9
5. Health: 2.9
Women:
6. Job: 5.6
7. Finances: 3.7
8. Family: 3.2
9. Romantic relationship: 3.1
10. Health: 2.9
If depression affected patient care:
11. 40 percent said depression did not affect interactions with patients
12. 33 percent said they were easily exasperated with patients
13. 32 percent said they were less engaged with patients
14. 29 percent said they were less friendly with patients
15. 24 percent said they were less motivated to carefully take patient notes
16. 14 percent said they expressed their frustration in front of patients
17. 14 percent said they make errors they might not ordinarily make
18. 5 percent said they make errors that could harm patients
If depression affected dealing with colleagues:
19. 42 percent said they were less engaged with staff
20. 42 percent said they were more exasperated with staff
21. 37 percent said they expressed frustration in front of staff
22. 36 percent said they were less friendly to staff
23. 22 percent said their depression did not affect their behavior at work
24. 21 percent said they arrived layer to work
25. 11 percent said they made errors they might not ordinarily make
26. 9 percent said they take longer lunches
27. 2 percent said they make errors that could harm staff