Sixty-three percent of physicians said they experienced colloquial depression while another 27% reported clinical depression in Medscape's 2024 "Physician Burnout and Depression Report," published Jan. 24.
The report surveyed 9,226 physicians across more than 29 specialties between July and October, with 61% of respondents being male and 31% of respondents being female.
Here are six more findings to know about physicians and depression from the report:
- Female physicians were more likely to report clinical depression than their male counterparts, at 32% and 23%, respectively.
- Burnout was the leading cause of depression among physicians, with 72% identifying it as a factor.
- The majority of both male and female physicians said it was not a practical idea to confide in other physicians about depression.
- Forty-five percent of physicians said their depression didn't affect their relationship with patients, while 40% said it made them get more easily exasperated with patients.
- Fearing people doubting their abilities as a physician was the leading factor behind physicians not telling anyone about their depression, at 44%.
- Fifty-three percent of physicians who reported experiencing depression said they hadn't consulted a mental health professional and wouldn't going forward.