Publication:

Role of family support in the mental health status of physicians

Background The mental health and well-being of physicians are increasingly recognized as crucial factors not only for the individual physicians themselves but also for the quality of care they provide to patients. This study aimed to assess the role of family support in the mental health status of physicians.

Methods This descriptive study was conducted at the Department of Community Medicine in Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2011 to June 2011. A total of 126 physicians were selected as study subjects as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. A convenience type of non-probability sampling technique was adopted in this study. GHQ- questionnaire was used for the measurement of mental stress. Different statistical methods were used in this study. Statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 17.0 for Windows was used to analyze the data.

Results Among 126 physicians 42 physicians (33.3%) had no evidence of mental stress, 42 physicians (33.3%) had mild mental stress, 29 physicians (23.0%) had moderate mental stress and only 13 physicians (10.3%) had severe mental stress. The study shows that among 32 physicians who didn't get help from family members majority i.e. 29 (90.7%) physicians had mental stress and only 3 (9.4%) physicians had no evidence of mental stress. But 94 physicians got help from family members among which 55 (58.5%) physicians had mental stress and 39 physicians or 41.5% physicians had no evidence of mental stress.

Conclusions Family support plays a significant role in mitigating stress, while marital status, income, and work environment also impact well-being. Addressing these factors can foster a culture of physician well-being and improve patient care.