why are we at risk? suicide in female physicians kathryn fung, md department of psychiatry,...
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Why are we at Risk?Suicide in Female
Physicians
Kathryn Fung, MDDepartment of Psychiatry, University of
Alberta
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Disclosure Statement:I have no relevant financial
relationships to disclose
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Objectives1. To appreciate the changing demographics
of medicine
2. To be familiar with suicide statistics
3. To identify potential risk factors for suicide in female physicians
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Outline• The changing face of medicine
• Suicide statistics
• Physicians… what makes us unique?
• Gender differences in suicide risk factors
• Future directions
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Association of American Medical Colleges
Introduction• In the US, the percentage of female
residents has increased from 28% in 1989 to 38% in 1999
• Currently, 48.5% of new US medical students are women
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Women in medicine from 1965 - 2004 (US data)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
MD Faculty
28%
45%
MD Graduates
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Introduction• In Canada, 41.1% to 73.9% of first-year
medical students are women
• Overall, 46.5% to 70.9% of the medical student body is female
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Introduction• Concern with suicide rates begins as early as
medical school• Female medical students commit suicide at the
same rate as male medical students• In the general population, suicide rates are much
higher among men
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JAMA 1987
Introduction• Elevated suicide rates continue after
graduation• Female physicians are reported to commit
suicide at a rate much greater than matched groups of American women (30 to 40 per 100,000 versus 10 to 12 per 100,000 respectively)
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Lindeman et al. (1996)
Introduction• Compared to the general population, relative
physician suicide risk was estimated at:• 1.1 to 3.4 for men• 2.5 to 5.7 for women
• Compared to other professionals, relative physician suicide risk was estimated at:• 1.5 to 3.8 for men• 3.7 to 4.5 for women
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Introduction• This pattern was confirmed in
Schernhammer’s 2004 meta-analysis
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Introduction• Schernhammer (2004), 25 studies
• Suicide rates among male physicians is 40 percent higher than among men in general
• Suicide rates among female physicians is 130 percent higher than that among women in general
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Introduction• With increasing numbers of female
physicians in training, identifying reasons for the higher rate is important
• Physician training is an expensive and time-consuming process
• If gender risk factors are identified, schools and hospitals can focus on reducing physician morbidity and mortality
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why are we losing so many colleagues?
what can we do to prevent it?
&
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The Ill Physician• Overall mortality for physicians from medical
causes is lower than the general population, but suicide is higher• Samkoff et al. (1995) found that suicide is the
number one cause of death in young physicians (26% of deaths)
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The Ill Physician• Limited research on physician suicide
• Even less focused on female physicians
• Most physicians who died by suicide were not receiving psychiatric treatment just prior to their death• Only 42% in treatment
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The Ill Physician• According to psychiatrist M. Myers, the
stigma attached to mental illness is greater in medicine than in the general public
• Stigma reinforces denial of illness• Contributes to delays in getting medical care• Increases physician suffering• Frustrates and worries physicians' families• Promotes self-medicating
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The Ill Physician• Both biological and psychosocial factors may
play a role in physician suicides because there may be a higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders among physicians than in the general population
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The Ill Physician• Psychiatric disorders most associated with
suicide in physicians are:• Major depression• Bipolar disorder• EtOH (40%) and/or drug abuse (20%)• Anxiety disorders• Some personality disorders (particularly
borderline personality)
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The Ill Physician• Doctors with a dual diagnosis of a mood
disorder and a substance use disorder are most at risk
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Physician Risk Factors• Various studies have analyzed stressors like
excessive professional demands, long working hours, little vacation time, and conflicts between work and personal life
• No solid evidence has linked these stressors to the elevated suicide rate among physicians
• Gender differences appear to exist however
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Physician Risk Factors• Hypotheses include obsessive traits and an
altruistic defense to enter a caring profession based on past experience• “Wounded healers” concept
• UK data from the last decade estimates a 4x increased risk in female nurses, similar to female physicians, lending some validity to this theory
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Depression• Physicians do not adequately detect or treat
depression in 40% to 60% of patients, making it difficult for them to recognize it in themselves
• The lifetime prevalence of major depressive disorder is 10-25% in women but only 5-12% in men, placing female physicians at higher baseline risk
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Depression• Kessler’s (1994) National Co-morbidity
Survey noted that the most common affective disorder for women was a major depressive episode:• 21.3% lifetime prevalence• 12.9% 12-month prevalence
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Depression• Data on depression prevalence in female
physicians is limited with conflicting results
• Welner et al. (1979) found that 51% of female physicians and 32% of female PhDs in the community had a Hx of depression (using Feighner criteria)
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Depression• Frank & Dingle (1999) investigated self-
reported depression and suicide attempts among US women physicians• Women Physician’s Health Study (n=4501)
• 1.5% attempted suicide• 19.5% with Hx of depression
• This is the largest survey to date – prevalence of depression appears similar to the general population
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Frank & Dingle, AJP 1999
Depression• In women, depression was more common if:
• Not partnered• Childless• Access to household gun• More stress at home• Drank alcohol• Substance abuse
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Frank & Dingle, AJP 1999
Depression• In women, depression was more common if:
• Worse health• e.g. obesity, chronic fatigue syndrome
• Eating disorder• Co-morbid psychiatric disorder• Reported working too much• Career dissatisfaction
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Depression• Frank & Dingle concluded
• Fewer suicide attempts in women physicians• Higher reported rates of depression was
associated with higher (but non-significant) rates of suicide attempts
• How does this explain the finding that female physicians have a significantly higher completed suicide rate?
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Depression• Hypotheses
• Increased availability of lethal agents• Ability to self-medicate• Knowledge of lethal medication doses
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Substance Abuse• Female physicians also have been shown to
have a higher frequency of alcoholism than women in the general population
• Drug abuse is also related to specialty• More prevalent among psychiatrists,
anesthesiologists, and emergency physicians
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Relational Theory• Current psychology proposes that female
self-esteem is based on establishing mutually satisfying, reciprocal relationships• Inconsistent with the competitive and individual
nature of medicine• Carmel et al. (1996) notes that although
physicians value empathy and compassion, these traits were also found to hinder advancement and promotion
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Relational Theory• In 2-physician marriages, females were more
likely to make accommodations in their career• Carr et al. (1998) found that in couples without
children, academic careers progressed equally• Once the couples had children, the academic
career progressed much more slowly for the female physician
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Frank et al., AFM 2000
Relational Theory• Although academic careers may be affected,
domestic obligations do not appear to impact career satisfaction or mental health
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On-Call & Lifestyle• On-call shifts as well as long and irregular
hours may have a bigger impact on female physicians
• They reported stress more frequently than males • (40% vs. 27%, p < 0.02)
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On-Call & Lifestyle• Another contributor may be the shift in
mentality towards lifestyle and well-being among physician trainees
• Over the last decade, both the US and Canada have made changes in legislation surrounding work hours for residents in training
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On-Call & Lifestyle• In Canada, all provincial residency
associations have a maximum of 1 in 4 in-house call
• In the US, since 2003, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandated 80 hours/week limit• This is the organization responsible for the
accreditation of Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs
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1984Libby Zion wrongful death suit filed
19953 doctors found negligent in Libby Zion case
1987New York Advisory committee established to evaluate post-graduate medical education
1988-99Baldwin et al.: average surgical resident work hours = 102 hours/week
1999NIM report 44-98K deaths/yr due to medical error
2003ACGME “80 hours/week” restriction
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On-Call & Lifestyle• Gender opinion differences exist on
legislation supporting reduced resident work hours and call frequency
• No Canadian data
• US data from 2004 multi-center study of 9 general surgery residencies in 8 states• 63% response rate for faculty (N=146) • 58% response rate for residents (N=113)
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01020304050607080
Decreasedfaculty
standards
Enhancedclinical
decisionmaking
Improvedquality oftraining
Increasedsatisfaction
with program
Per
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stro
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Faculty Male Residents Female Residents
**
**
*Mean responses between male and female residents significantly different, p<.05
Effects of Restricted Resident Work Hours on Education
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0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Improved quality ofcare
DHR adherencegood for pt care
Lack of familiaritymajor cause of
error
Decreasedcontinuity of care
Night floatdecreases quality
Perc
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Faculty Male Residents Female Residents
*
*
*
*
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*Mean responses between male and female residents significantly different, p<.05
Effect of Restricted Resident Work Hours on Pt Care
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0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
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DHR are good for residents I support DHR
Percent who agree/strongly
agree
Faculty Male Residents Female Residents
**
Overall Opinion of Restricted Resident Work Hours*Mean responses between male and female residents significantly different, p<.05
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On-Call & Lifestyle• Faculty age, faculty gender and program
type did not systematically factor into the differences between faculty and resident views
• Resident gender was a strong and consistent factor in the faculty-resident gap• This may lead to discord in residency programs
and create tension between female residents and faculty
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Bland et al. AJS 2005
On-Call & Lifestyle• Interestingly, Bland et al. (2005) reviewed the
impact of DHR on surgical case volume• Comparing 2003-2004 case logs to those from
1997-2003, there was no significant change in• The overall experience of major procedures per
resident• Chief resident cases (required for the American Board
of Surgery)
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On-Call & Lifestyle• Different opinions on the effect of restricted
work hours may lead to different treatment based on gender
• This may create a more negative work environment• Several studies report increased bullying, stress
and harassment of women physicians
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Intimidation• Cohen (2005) did a local survey of residents
in Alberta revealed that intimidation and harassment was strongly related to gender • 12% of males and 38% of females• This did not attain statistical significance,
possibly because of the small sample size
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Intimidation• These findings were paralleled in a study by
Frank et al. (1998):• 48% of female physicians reported gender-based
harassment at least once• 37% reported sexual harassment
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Intimidation• Williams’ et al. (2002) study findings indicate
that workplace conditions are a major determinant of physician well-being
• Health care organizations that are both "physician friendly" and "family friendly" seem to result in greater well-being
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Conclusions• Female physicians have a high risk of
suicide, comparable to males
• Risk factors may include• Increased genetic predisposition for depression• Underlying personal factors• More ‘humane’ training conditions challenged by
primarily male senior colleagues• Increased workplace intimidation
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Future Directions• Larger studies and demographics tracking
must be done
• Strategies are needed in the prevention, detection and management of mental health problems, recognizing the different roles/needs of female physicians
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