From data to action: understanding the drivers of physician wellness. Regression analyses – CMA 2021 National Physician Health Survey results
https://digitallibrary.cma.ca/link/digitallibrary27
- Type
- Survey report
- Date
- 2022-11
- Corporate Author
- Canadian Medical Association
- Ipsos
- Our Focus
- Physician wellness and safety
- Administrative burden
- Type
- Survey report
- Date
- 2022-11
- Corporate Author
- Canadian Medical Association
- Ipsos
- Abstract
- The 2021 NPHS reveals that the rate of burnout is high among physicians and medical residents: over half report experiencing burnout, a rate nearly double (1.7 times) that before the pandemic. The results for other key psychological indicators that were first measured in the 2017 NPHS also garner attention. Compared with before the pandemic, the proportion of respondents who are “flourishing” in mental health has declined significantly (47%, –16 percentage points), the proportion screening positive for depression has increased (48%, +14 percentage points) and the proportion reporting recent suicidal thoughts in the past 12 months has increased (14%, +6 percentage points). Further, the survey results reveal that a majority (79%) of physicians and medical residents score low on the Professional Fulfillment Index (PFI), a scale that captures sentiments around contentment, satisfaction and meaning in one’s work.
- In light of the health human resource crisis in Canada,1 it is not surprising that approximately half of the respondents indicate a likelihood to modify or reduce their clinical hours in the next two years. Results from the foundational report revealed that those experiencing overall burnout are 1.3 times more likely than those who do not score high on burnout to say they will reduce their work hours in the next 24 months (54% vs. 42%, respectively). Similarly, physicians who score low on professional fulfillment are 1.4 times more likely than those who score high (52% vs. 37%, respectively) to say they will reduce their work hours. Given the concerning prevalence data showing high rates of burnout, low professional fulfillment and a large number of respondents indicating a likelihood to reduce their clinical hours, as well as the relationships between them, follow-up regression analyses on each of these three factors were conducted.
- Results from the regression analyses, detailed throughout this report, confirm that burnout, professional fulfillment and likelihood to reduce work hours are indeed related and provide additional insight into the specific drivers of these three factors.