More than 1 in 4 cardiologists report experiencing mental health problems, according to the results of a survey led by the American College of Cardiology (ACC).
Conducted by the ACC, the survey was conducted in 2019 and collected data from 5,931 cardiologists. We found that more than 10% also reported mental health conditions. Report dissatisfaction with one or more career-related metrics.
“We highlight the need for heart disease culture to be more inclusive and supportive of those affected, and encourage them to report their illness and seek treatment,” the researchers said. writes, “Given the high prevalence of mental health disorders among cardiologists worldwide, it is important that individuals and It requires a committed effort at the organizational level. [mental health conditions]”
The current study was led by Laxmi Mehta, MD, vice chair for wellness at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Department of Internal Medicine and chair of the ACC Task Force on Clinician Health. relationship between prevalence of chronic health conditions and working life. The investigator asked 71,022 cardiologists in Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America and North America to analyze data from her 50-item online anonymous questionnaire that the ACC administered to her in late 2019. I got
For the purposes of analysis, mental health conditions of interest included alcohol/drug use disorders, suicidal tendencies, psychiatric distress, other psychiatric disorders, and major psychiatric disorders. Investigators noted that ACC member and non-member cardiologists listed in the ACC database were considered eligible for inclusion.
Of the 71,022 cardiologists sent survey invitations, 5,931 responded and 5,830 responded to mental health questions. Among respondents with mental health data, 77.4% were male, 33.5% were under 40, 53.5% were white, 16.9% were Asian, 16.7% were Hispanic, 3.4% were non-Hispanic Black, Native Hawaiian Less than .5% identified as Native American. Investigators noted that the cardiologist was 75.5% married and 74.9% had children.
Overall, 28.0% of respondents reported having a mental health condition, with prevalence varying between subgroups. Investigators noted that female cardiologists were more likely to report mental health conditions (33.7% vs 26.3%; P. <.001), major psychiatric disorder (4.1% vs. 2.1%), or other psychiatric disorder (10.8% vs. 8.0%). The researcher also emphasized that after training she found that those with 5 to 10 years of work experience were more likely to report mental health conditions than their counterparts with more than 20 years of experience (31.9 % vs 22.6%; P. <.001).
An assessment of the impact of race and ethnicity revealed that Hispanic cardiologists (35.3%) were more likely to be Caucasian (27.8%), non-Hispanic Black (26.3%), or Asian (21.6%) cardiologists. suggested that they were more likely to report mental health conditions than (P. <.001). Investigators noted that 71% of his Hispanic cardiologists are from South or Central America.
The investigators also drew attention to the percentage of cardiologists who had suicidal thoughts, with 2.7% of those who reported mental health conditions reporting suicidal thoughts in the past 12 months, and 2.9% 0.4% reported suicidal thoughts more than 12 months ago, and 0.4% reported attempted suicide. ), were also (42.3% vs 31.1%) more likely to seek help than men (all P. <.001).
An assessment of the association between mental health status and working life suggested that 44% of respondents with a mental health status reported being dissatisfied with at least one aspect of their working life. rice field. Analysis revealing experiencing emotional harassment (OR, 2.81 [95% CI, 2.46-3.20]), discrimination (or 1.85 [95% CI, 1.61-2.12]), divorced (OR, 1.73 [95% CI, 1.27-2.36]), and be under the age of 55 (OR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.24-1.6]) were all considered positive predictors of mental health status.
In his editorial, Andrew Sauer, MD, a cardiologist at the Central American Heart Institute in St Luke, paints a picture of the hurdles and struggles facing established cardiologists as well as early careers. Sauer describes the need to implement interventions at multiple stages of the progression cycle of mental illness and concludes with what he interprets as a cause of hope.
“Pursuing a career in cardiology can be a masterclass in delayed gratification and the quiet restraint of self-care. , postpones all life timelines, and the intrinsic reward of relieving patient suffering while experiencing an enriching patient-physician relationship cannot be underestimated. Healthcare is isolating more and more people: Burnout, emotional distress, overt mental illness, and suicidal ideation are legitimate threats to the central purpose of healthcare.”
The study, “Prevalence of mental health conditions and their impact on the profession among cardiologists,” Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
