Figure 1: Box plot depicting grade of practice and GAD-2 score. with
greater efforts needed to destigmatise mental health in the profession,
thereby improving support for doctors.
It is increasingly important during the COVID-19 pandemic that
departments send clear signals to their team members that their mental
health matters and being open about it will lead to support and not
discrimination. Although this is not by any means an easy or quick
endeavour, certain departmental and individual factors can help to
gradually change cultures.
Departmental initiates include raising awareness of the high prevalence
of mental health conditions amongst Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and
the potential impact that these factors have on both doctor’s wellbeing
and patient care. Training staff, in particular those in leadership
roles, so that they feel confident having conversations about mental
health can be key in shaping how doctors cope and recover through
difficult times. Identifying accessible mental health champions and
support pathways sends a clear message that support is available if
colleagues are experiencing a mental health problem. Having visible and
accessible leadership when managing complex patients with novel
conditions may also help to reduce the mental health impact on doctors.
On an individual level, we can all challenge stigma and prejudice by
being approachable and confident about mental health and taking steps to
normalise conversations and encourage open dialogues.
Strengths of this study included survey respondents from a range of
ages, ethnicities and clinical grades and was disseminated throughout
the UK. It is also the first reported study that has assessed the impact
of COVID-19 on Obstetrics and Gynaecology doctors.
Limitations of this study include that it was an online survey therefore
may be prone to selection and response bias. Snowball sampling was used
to help mitigate selection bias and recruit hard to reach subjects. The
cross-sectional design, whilst demonstrating associations cannot
demonstrate significant causal relationships.