Wellness

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), winter type, is a seasonal pattern of recurrent major depressive episodes most commonly occurring in autumn or winter and remitting in spring/summer. The syndrome has been well-known for more than three decades, with light treatment being the treatment of first choice. In this paper, an overview is presented of the present insights in SAD. Description of the syndrome, etiology, and treatment options are mentioned. Apart from light treatment, medication and psychotherapy are other treatment options...

Seasonal affective disorder is a combination of biologic and mood disturbances with a seasonal pattern, typically occurring in the autumn and winter with remission in the spring or summer. In a given year, about 5 percent of the U.S. population experiences seasonal affective disorder, with symptoms present for about 40 percent of the year. Although the condition is seasonally limited, patients may have significant impairment from the associated depressive symptoms. Treatment can improve these symptoms and also may be used as prophylaxis before the subsequent autumn and winter seasons...

OBJECTIVES: Burnout syndrome is recognized as a major global problem among emergency healthcare workers as it causes prevalent fatigue, job separations, and disappointment. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship of the glial marker S100B in sera of emergency physicians with burnout syndrome and depression. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study of emergency medicine residents in three distinct university-based departments of emergency medicine...

Burnout is a syndrome marked by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low job satisfaction. Rates of burnout in orthopaedic surgeons are higher than those in the general population and many other medical subspecialties. Half of all orthopaedic surgeons show symptoms of burnout, with the highest rates reported in residents and orthopaedic department chairpersons. This syndrome is associated with poor outcomes for surgeons, institutions, and patients. Validated instruments exist to objectively diagnose burnout, although family members and colleagues should be aware of early warning signs and risk factors, such as irritability, withdrawal, and failing relationships at work and home...

BACKGROUND: Burnout is high among resident physicians and may be associated with suboptimal patient care and reduced empathy. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between patient perceptions of empathy and enablement and physician burnout in internal medicine residents. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, survey-based observational study between December 2012 and March 2013 in a resident continuity clinic located within a large urban academic primary care practice in Baltimore, Maryland...

The problem of poor mental health in residency is well established. Burnout, depression, and suicidal ideation are prevalent among resident physicians, and these problems appear to persist into practice. Leaders in graduate medical education such as policy makers at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and directors of individual programs and institutions should acknowledge these important issues and take steps to address them. The ACGME's Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) Program currently outlines an expectation that institutions both educate residents about burnout and measure burnout annually...

Burnout has high costs for pediatricians and their patients. There is increasing interest in educational interventions to promote resilience and minimize burnout among pediatric trainees. This study tested a conceptual model of factors that might promote resilience and protect against burnout, and which could serve as targets for addressing burnout in pediatric residents. Questionnaires were administered in a cross-sectional survey of (n = 45) first-year pediatric and medicine-pediatric residents. A minority (40%) of residents met one or more criteria for burnout...

PURPOSE: Internal medicine (IM) residents commonly develop job burnout, which may lead to poor academic performance, depression, and medical errors. The extent to which duty hours restrictions (DHRs) can mitigate job burnout remains uncertain. The July 2011 DHRs created an opportunity to measure the impact of decreased work hours on developing burnout in IM residents. METHOD: A survey was administered twice to first-year IM residents at three academic medical centers between June 2011 and July 2012...

BACKGROUND: Interest in the well-being of physicians has increased because of their contributions to the healthcare system quality. There is growing recognition that physicians are exposed to workplace factors that increase the risk of work stress. Long-term exposure to high work stress can result in burnout. Reports from around the world suggest that about one-third to one-half of physicians experience burnout. Understanding the outcomes associated with burnout is critical to understanding its affects on the healthcare system...

The medical residency is recognized as a risk period for the development of burnout and mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, which have impact on the physician and clientele alike. There is a need for studies that address conditions of risk and protection for the development of such problems. This study aimed to verify the rates of burnout, anxiety, and depression presented by resident physicians, as well as the associations of these problems with social skills, as potential protective factors...

Burnout is a common syndrome seen in healthcare workers, particularly physicians who are exposed to a high level of stress at work; it includes emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. Burnout among physicians has garnered significant attention because of the negative impact it renders on patient care and medical personnel. Physicians who had high burnout levels reportedly committed more medical errors. Stress management programs that range from relaxation to cognitive-behavioral and patient-centered therapy have been found to be of utmost significance when it comes to preventing and treating burnout...

BACKGROUND: Burnout in physicians is common, and studies show a prevalence of 30% to 78%. Identifying constructive coping strategies and personal characteristics that protect residents against burnout may be helpful for reducing errors and improving physician satisfaction. OBJECTIVE: We explored the complex relationships between burnout, behaviors, emotional coping, and spirituality among internal medicine and internal medicine-pediatrics residents. METHODS: We anonymously surveyed 173 internal medicine and medicine-pediatrics residents to explore burnout, coping, and spiritual attitudes...

A good level of physical and mental fitness is essential in order to function optimally as a resident. Concerns about residents' mental fitness have recently been raised, based on high percentages of residents suffering from burnout and depression and data on the experience of stress and anxiety. Lack of mental fitness has negative consequences for the individual doctor as well as for the quality of patient care delivered. This is expressed in loss of empathy, delivery of suboptimal care and increased medical errors...

BACKGROUND: The well-being of residents in general surgery is an important factor in their success within training programs. Consequently, it is important to identify individuals at risk for burnout and low levels of well-being as early as possible. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that resident well-being may be related to grit, a psychological factor defined as perseverance and passion for long-term goals. METHODS: One hundred forty-one residents across 9 surgical specialties at 1 academic medical center were surveyed; the response rate was 84%...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Stress in medical education has been well documented, often with the primary focus on negative factors such as depression and burnout. Few studies have attempted to assess well-being mediating behaviors. This study describes the relationship between wellness behaviors and measures of well-being at the start of family medicine residency. METHODS: Using an online questionnaire, first-year family medicine residents (n=168) completed standardized measures exploring perceived stress, depression, satisfaction with life, and burnout...

BACKGROUND: The 2011 US Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandates reaffirm the need to design residency schedules to augment patient safety and minimise resident fatigue. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate which elements of the residency schedule were associated with resident burnout and fatigue and whether resident burnout and fatigue were associated with lower perceived quality of patient care. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of first-year medicine residents at three hospitals in May-June 2011 assessed residency schedule characteristics, including hours worked, adherence to 2003 work-hour regulations, burnout and fatigue, trainee-reported quality of care and medical errors...

UNLABELLED: Among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders, major depressive disorder is related with high incapacity levels, affecting also physical and mental health, and social, family, and work activities (burnout). OBJECTIVES: This study assessed possible damage and emotional changes in a cohort of recently incoming medical residents to the postgraduate courses of the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery of Mexico City. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected information on sociodemographic data, and we applied two instruments: the scale of Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-HS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)...

BACKGROUND: Stress, depression, and suicide are universal but frequently unrecognized issues for women and men in residency training. Stress affects cognitive and psychomotor performance both inside and outside of the operating room. Stress impairs the 2 key components of a surgeon's responsibilities: intellectual judgment and technical skill. We hypothesized that the recognition of depression, substance abuse, failing personal relationships, and potential suicide is poor among surgeons...

INTRODUCTION: Residents learn and participate in care within hospital cultures that 5 tolerate unprofessional conduct and cynical attitudes, labeled the "hidden curriculum." We hypothesized that this hidden curriculum 5 have deleterious effects on residents' professional development and investigated whether witnessing unprofessional behavior during residency was associated with burnout and cynicism. METHODS: We surveyed internal medicine residents at 2 academic centers for 3 years (2008-2010)...

BACKGROUND: Medical knowledge and clinical performance ratings are major criteria for assessing the competence of resident physicians. However, these assessments may be influenced by residents' mental health. The relationship between residents' well-being and empathy and assessments of their global performance remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether resident well-being and empathy are associated with assessments of their medical knowledge and clinical performance...