Kamra, M., Dhaliwal, S., et al. (2024).
JAMA Network Open, 7(7), e2423316.
Abstract
Importance The COVID-19 pandemic placed many physicians in situations of increased stress and challenging resource allocation decisions. Insight into the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder in physicians and its risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic will guide interventions to prevent its development.
Objective To determine the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic and examine variations based on factors, such as sex, age, medical specialty, and career stage.
Data Sources A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses–compliant systematic review was conducted, searching MEDLINE, Embase, and PsychInfo, from December 2019 to November 2022. Search terms included MeSH (medical subject heading) terms and keywords associated with physicians as the population and PTSD.
Conclusions and Relevance In this meta-analysis examining PTSD during COVID-19, 18.3% of physicians reported symptoms consistent with PTSD, with a higher risk in female physicians, older physiciansy, and trainees, and with variation by specialty. Targeted interventions to support physician well-being during traumatic events like pandemics are required.
Key Points
Question What is the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how does this vary based on factors such as sex?
Findings In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 57 studies with 28 965 participants, a higher PTSD prevalence among physicians was found compared with the reported literature on the prevalence before the COVID-19 pandemic and the general population. Women and medical trainees were significantly more likely to develop PTSD, and emergency and family medicine specialties tended to report higher prevalence.
Meaning These findings suggest that physicians were more likely to experience PTSD during the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlights the importance of further research and policy reform to uphold physician wellness practices.
