Supporting doctors and medical students

A new survey will gain insight into the mental health of Australia’s doctors and medical students and the best ways to support them.

The National Mental Health Survey of Doctors and Medical Students is being conducted by beyondblue, a national, independent, notforprofit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, anxiety and related disorders in Australia.

The survey aims to address the prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders across the medical profession, and will assist to:

• understand issues associated with the mental health of Australia’s doctors and medical students;
• increase awareness across the medical profession and broader community of issues associated with the mental health of doctors; and
• inform the development and delivery of mental health programs, services and supports for the medical profession.

The survey follows on from the findings of a systematic literature review commissioned by beyondblue in 2010 – The Mental Health of Doctors: A Systematic Literature Review.

The review found that there is limited research examining the mental health of medical students and doctors that is specific to the Australian context, with no studies focusing on rural or Indigenous doctors.

Who can participate in the survey?

About 40,000 doctors and 8,000 medical students have been invited this month by mail to participate in the survey by completing a hard copy or online version of the questionnaire. This includes all doctors working in rural and remote areas. A sample of doctors and medical students participated in a pilot for the survey conducted in November 2012. The pilot has guided the approach to the main survey and will inform the overall findings.

How is beyondblue conducting the survey?

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) has agreed to send out the survey questionnaire on behalf of beyondblue. This enables beyondblue to include every doctor and medical student in Australia in its sampling approach.

The decision to participate in the survey will not impact on a doctor’s or medical student’s registration with AHPRA.

The names and addresses of doctors and medical students have not been passed over by AHPRA to beyondblue. Data collected by beyondblue will not be passed on to AHPRA or the Medical Board of Australia or, in the case of medical students, the university at which they are enrolled.

The survey is anonymous. The questionnaire does not ask doctors or medical students to provide their name, contact details or postcode in which they work. Data collected will be reported at group level only.

Doctors and medical students invited to participate in the survey will firstly receive a letter advising them that they will be sent the survey questionnaire in about two weeks’ time. The second letter will include several enclosures, including the survey questionnaire, an explanatory statement and a reply paid envelope.

The questionnaire includes questions regarding mental health problems, risk factors, barriers to seeking support and treatment, coping strategies, and demographic details.

The results of the study will be available on the beyondblue website from mid-2013.

For more information about the survey, contact beyondblue by calling (03) 9810 6103 or email workplace@beyondblue.org.au