Authors:
Wu F, Ireland M, Hafekost K, Lawrence D
Authors notes:
BeyondBlue, 2013
Keywords:
Mental health, doctors, medical students, survey
Abstract:
The National Mental Health Survey of Doctors and Medical Students was conducted with the aims of understanding issues associated with the mental health of Australian medical students and doctors, increasing awareness across the medical profession and broader community of issues associated with the mental health of medical students and doctors, and informing the development of mental health services and supports for the medical profession.
Topics covered by the anonymous, self-complete survey included specific and general mental health status, substance use and misuse, suicidal ideation and self-harm, workplace and life stressors, levels of burnout, impact of mental health symptoms, treatment and coping strategies employed to address mental health symptoms, barriers to seeking treatment and support, and attitudes regarding doctors with mental health conditions. The broad demographic profile of those participating in the beyondblue survey and the general Australian doctors' population were similar, based on data obtained from the 2011 Australian Census.
It was not possible to assess whether this sample is representative of the mental health status, experiences and attitudes of the Australian medical population.
As no population norms exist for medical students, it was not possible to assess the representativeness of this sample. Doctor data were weighted based on demographic information from the 2011 Census.
As no population norms exist for medical students, these data were unweighted.