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. 2020 Jul;42(7):1597-1609.
doi: 10.1002/hed.26292. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

Mental health among otolaryngology resident and attending physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic: National study

Alyssa M Civantos  1 , Yasmeen Byrnes  1 , Changgee Chang  2 , Aman Prasad  1 , Kevin Chorath  3 , Seerat K Poonia  4 , Carolyn M Jenks  4 , Andrés M Bur  5 , Punam Thakkar  6 , Evan M Graboyes  7 , Rahul Seth  8 , Samuel Trosman  9 , Anni Wong  9 , Benjamin M Laitman  9 , Brianna N Harris  10 , Janki Shah  11 , Vanessa Stubbs  12 , Garret Choby  13 , Qi Long  2 , Christopher H Rassekh  4 , Erica Thaler  4 , Karthik Rajasekaran  4
Affiliations
Free PMC article

Mental health among otolaryngology resident and attending physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic: National study

Alyssa M Civantos et al. Head Neck. 2020 Jul.
Free PMC article

Abstract

Background: Otolaryngologists are among the highest risk for COVID-19 exposure.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional, survey-based, national study evaluating academic otolaryngologists. Burnout, anxiety, distress, and depression were assessed by the single-item Mini-Z Burnout Assessment, 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, 15-item Impact of Event Scale, and 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire, respectively.

Results: A total of 349 physicians completed the survey. Of them, 165 (47.3%) were residents and 212 (60.7%) were males. Anxiety, distress, burnout, and depression were reported in 167 (47.9%), 210 (60.2%), 76 (21.8%), and 37 (10.6%) physicians, respectively. Attendings had decreased burnout relative to residents (odds ratio [OR] 0.28, confidence interval [CI] [0.11-0.68]; P = .005). Females had increased burnout (OR 1.93, CI [1.12.-3.32]; P = .018), anxiety (OR 2.53, CI [1.59-4.02]; P < .005), and distress (OR 2.68, CI [1.64-4.37]; P < .005). Physicians in states with greater than 20 000 positive cases had increased distress (OR 2.01, CI [1.22-3.31]; P = .006).

Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of burnout, anxiety, and distress is high among academic otolaryngologists.

Keywords: COVID-19; mental health; mental wellness; otolaryngologists; psychiatric distress.

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