Material
Survey
COVID-19’s Impact on Physician Wellbeing
The Physicians Foundation’s 2020 Survey of America’s Physicians: COVID-19’s Impact on Physician Wellbeing finds that nearly 1 in 4 physicians (22%) know a physician who committed suicide and the majority (58%) express feelings of burnout.
Part Two
Key Findings
Part Two of The Physicians Foundation’s Survey of America’s Physicians: COVID-19 Edition focuses on how the coronavirus pandemic has affected physicians’ wellbeing. The survey was conducted from August 17- 25, 2020. Data is based on 2,334 responses. Complete methodology is available on page 17 of the full report.
- 50 percent of physicians have experienced inappropriate anger, tearfulness or anxiety as a result of COVID-19’s effects on their practice or employment.
- 30 percent of physicians feel hopeless or that they have no purpose due to COVID-19’s effects on their practice or employment situation.
- 8 percent of physicians have had thoughts of selfharm as a result of COVID-19’s effects on their practice or employment, with younger physicians reporting thoughts of self-harm at a higher rate than older physicians.
- 18 percent of physicians have increased their use of medications, alcohol or illicit drugs as a result of COVID-19’s effects on their practice or employment situation.
- By contrast, 13 percent of physicians have sought medical attention for a mental health problem as a result of COVID-19’s effects on their practice or employment situation.
- 58 percent of physicians often have feelings of burnout, compared to 40 percent in 2018 as tracked by Physicians Foundation data.
- 24 percent of physicians have sought medical attention for a physical problem as a result of COVID-19’s effects on their practice or employment situation.
- 37 percent of physicians would like to retire in the next year.
- Nearly 1 in 4 physicians (22 percent) know a physician who has committed suicide.
- 26 percent of physicians know a physician who has considered suicide.
- 15 percent of physicians know a physician who has attempted suicide.
- Majority of physicians (78 percent) rate lack of population compliance with COVID-19 distancing and mask-wearing protocols as their number one source of frustration during the pandemic.
- 70 percent of physicians rate lack of reliable COVID-19 tests as their second highest source of frustration.
- 90 percent of physicians indicate family members have been the most help in maintaining physician wellbeing during the pandemic.
- 83 percent of physicians indicate friends
have been somewhat to very helpful, while
73 percent indicate colleagues have been
somewhat to very helpful. - 56 percent of physicians said their medical
practice or group has been somewhat to very helpful, while 40 percent said their hospital or health system, 34 percent said their specialty society and 23 percent said their state medical society.
