Changes that could ease pressure on doctors has been overlooked, according to new research analysis
A new analysis has flagged a lack of controlled studies evaluating the impact of organisational-level interventions on doctors' mental health.
Researchers from the University of New South Wales and the Black Dog Institute analysed 24 international studies involving 2,336 practising doctors to look at interventions that can improve mental health outcomes for the workforce.
It found a "concerning absence" of high-quality research into organisational-level interventions designed to improve physician mental health.
"We know that working conditions have a major impact on physicians' mental health – yet not one study examined organisational-level interventions that aimed to improve physician mental health through modifications to the work environment – such as modifying working hours or rescheduling rosters," said Dr. Mark Deady, Workplace Mental Health Research Lead at Black Dog Institute, in a statement.
"This gap is now too wide to ignore. Workplaces have real potential to be part of the solution. The evidence shows that multi-level approaches are essential for creating mentally healthy workplaces."
The findings come as Australia's medical workforce faces "unprecedented levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout in the workplace," according to Professor Steve Robson, chair of the National Doctors Health and Wellbeing Leadership Alliance.
"Doctors and medical students face so many challenges in the workplace, including burnout, job strain, and mental health concerns, and this can impact patient care," Robson previously said.
Skills-based approaches show promise
Despite the lack of studies on organisational-level interventions, the UNSW analysis found that certain mental health interventions from individual-focused approaches can improve outcomes for doctors.
"Skills-based approaches – such as mindfulness and mind-body techniques like meditation – had a moderate positive effect on reducing symptoms like anxiety and depression," said lead author Dr Katherine Petrie, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UNSW Sydney and Black Dog Institute, in a statement.
"Other skills-based programmes – such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), stress management, and peer support – had an even stronger positive effect."
Petrie noted that the promise shown by these individual-focused approaches is reassuring.
"But without more research into organisational-level interventions, we are missing the chance to also implement solutions that meet doctors where they are – within the environments that are contributing to their distress," she said.
"Put differently, if organisations do not address the stressors and hazards present in the working environment, it is unlikely that skills-based interventions alone will have a meaningful or sustained effect."
