Up to one out of every 16 surgeons has had suicidal thoughts, but very few of them sought help, according to a survey published in the January issue of Archives of Surgery.
Mayo Clinic researchers who conducted the anonoymous study found that 6.3 percent of the 7,905 respondents said they had suicidal thoughts in the twelve months before taking the survey. Older surgeons were especially vulnerable: Those 45 and older were 1.5 to three times likelier than the general populationto have such thoughts. Another finding: divorced surgeons were more likely to have the thoughts than were those who were married.
The thoughts, the experts said, were linked to three factors: burnout, depression, and an on-the-job error. Interestingly, those who reported a mistake theyd made were much likelier to have suicidal thoughts than were those who didnt report the mistake.
The reluctance to seek medical help may also be due to the fact that in applying for surgical licenses, 80 percent of states ask about mental illness, and 47 percent do so on the application for a renewal of the license.
