Canadian physicians are increasingly affected by burnout as hospital emergency departments crumble under the strain of labor shortages and COVID-19, according to a recent survey.
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) probe unveiled Thursday reveals that nearly half of respondents (48%) tested positive for depression, up 15 percentage points in 4 years.
A quarter of physicians and medical residents report suffering from severe (10%) or moderate (15%) anxiety, while 79% of them have a low score on the professional fulfillment index.
More than half (53%) of respondents report experiencing high levels of burnout and 49% of those surveyed plan to reduce their clinical work hours within two years.
“Every day, doctors express their despair at the state of our health care system, the pressure that all health care workers are under and the suffering of their patients,” said Dr. Alika Lafontaine, president of the ‘AMC.
“Since the survey was conducted, the workload has continued to increase with no sign of respite on the horizon. Doctors need help to continue to provide quality care to their patients,” he added.