Effectiveness of a multi-modal hospital-wide doctor mental health and wellness intervention

Katherine Petrie; Kelly Stanton; Aneesha Gill; Jennifer Simmons; Samuel B Harvey

doi:10.1186/s12888-022-03908-0

Effectiveness of a multi-modal hospital-wide doctor mental health and wellness intervention

BMC Psychiatry. 2022 Apr 6;22(1):244. doi: 10.1186/s12888-022-03908-0.

Authors

Katherine Petrie^{1

2}, Kelly Stanton^{3

4}, Aneesha Gill^{3

5

6}, Jennifer Simmons³, Samuel B Harvey⁷

Affiliations

¹ Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia.
² School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia.
³ St George Hospital, Kogarah, NSW, 2217, Australia.
⁴ The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia.
⁵ Sutherland Hospital, Caringbah, NSW, 2229, Australia.
⁶ University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia.
⁷ Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia. s.harvey@unsw.edu.au.

Abstract

Background: Doctors report high rates of workplace stress and are at increased risk of mental health disorders. However, there are few real-world studies evaluating the effectiveness of interventions aimed at addressing workplace risk factors and improving doctors' mental health in a hospital setting. This study was conducted over two years (2017-2019) to assess the effects of a multi-modal intervention on working conditions doctors' mental health and help-seeking for mental health problems in two Australian teaching hospitals.

Methods: The multimodal intervention consisted of organisational changes, such as reducing unrostered overtime, as well as strategies for individual doctors, such as mental health training programs. Hospital-based doctors at all career stages were eligible to participate in two cross-sectional surveys. 279 doctors completed the baseline survey (19.2% response rate) and 344 doctors completed the follow-up survey (31.3% response rate). A range of workplace risk and protective factors, mental health (psychological distress and suicidal ideation) and help-seeking outcomes were assessed.

Results: There were significant improvements in key workplace protective factors, with small effects found for doctors' job satisfaction, stress, work-life balance and perceived workplace support and a significant reduction in workplace risk factors including a moderate reduction in reported bullying behaviour between baseline to follow-up (job satisfaction p < 0.05, all other outcomes p < 0.01). However, no significant changes in doctors' mental health or help-seeking outcomes were found over the intervention period.

Conclusion: Following the implementation of individual and organisational-level strategies in two Australian tertiary hospitals, doctors reported a reduction in some key workplace stressors, but no significant changes to their mental health or help-seeking for mental health problems. Further research is warranted, particularly to determine if these workplace changes will lead to improved mental health outcomes for doctors once maintained for a longer period.

Keywords: Common mental disorder; Doctor; Intervention; Suicidal ideation; Workplace.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Australia
Cross-Sectional Studies
Hospitals
Humans
Mental Health*
Workplace* / psychology