Background: Several studies indicated that medical community might exhibit a relatively high level of certain mental health problems, particularly depression. Knowledge about the predictors of such problems among physicians constitutes a basis for adequate prevention and management.
Aims & Objectives: Determination of prevalence of depression among physicians working in hospital ER in Makkah Al-Mokarramah city and evaluation of factors associated with depression among them.
Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study included a sample of 100 physicians, (68%) males and (32%) females. The tool of the study was self-administered questionnaire, which consist of two main parts, each part had separate instructions. First part was consisted of personal data, Second part included 21 questions of Beck Depression Inventory Scale.
Results: Main result showed that the prevalence of depression among ER Physicians was 47%. The mild form represented 51 %, moderate form was 40.4 % and severe form was 8.5%. Important factors significantly affecting the prevalence of depression among ER physicians were smoking, absence of recreational activity and previous history of depression. Factors insignificantly associated with depression were age, gender, nationality, marital status, number of children, income, job, medical qualification, duration of work in ER, fixed work to ER, number of patient seen per shift, number of physicians per shift, relative loss in past 6 month, not having exercise activity and presence of medical illnesses.
Conclusion: Depression is a common problem among ER physicians. The main recommendations to high authority are to give more care to recreational activity for physicians, healthy lifestyle particularly smoking cessation through a planned programme, frequent assessment of stressor facing ER physicians which may predispose to depression. Finally; screening, diagnosis and treatment of depression among ER physicians seems of help to them. Furthermore, enough support to ER physicians suffering from depression through arrangement of follow up visit to prevent relapse.
Key words: Depression; Emergency Room Physicians; Becks Depression Inventory (BDI) Scale; Prevalence; Saudi Arabia
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