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Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
The lingering effects of a global pandemic continue to take a toll on the nation's physicians, and intensivists are no exception.
In this year's report, Medscape explores physicians' happiness with their personal lives and their professional work, how their marriages and personal relationships are faring, as well as how they are maintaining their physical and mental health. More than 13,000 physicians across 29 specialties responded to the survey.
(Note: Some totals in this presentation do not equal 100% due to rounding.)
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Eighty-six percent of intensivists said they were "very" or "somewhat" happy outside of work prior to the global pandemic, a somewhat higher percentage than among physicians overall (81%).
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
The stress and strain of the pandemic continues to affect physicians of various specialties. The percentage of intensivists who say they are currently "very" or "somewhat" happy outside of work is slightly lower than for physicians overall (59%).
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Perhaps not surprising, intensivists were among the top range of burned-out physicians in our survey. In last year's report, 42% of physicians reported that they are burned out; that's risen to 47% this year.
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Male and female intensivists reported being burnt out at the same rate — the only other specialists besides pulmonologists (47% vs 52%) among whom the men's rate of burnout resembles the women's.
"There's no question that women have reported far more role strain during the pandemic than men," says Carol A. Bernstein, MD, psychiatrist at Montefiore Health System and professor and vice chair for faculty development and wellbeing at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "Often women assumed more of the childcare and homeschooling responsibilities in their households. As a result, we know that more women dropped out of the workforce. Also, past studies indicate that women are more likely to report feelings of burnout than men."
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Lack of respect from colleagues is the main contributor to intensivist burnout. Too many work hours, the volume of bureaucratic tasks, and stress from treating COVID-19 patients were also selected as major factors in this year's report. For 6 in 10 physicians overall, having too many bureaucratic tasks is the top contributor. (Participants could choose more than one response.)
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Around two thirds of intensivists reported that they were more burned out now than during the initial months of the pandemic, a larger proportion than among physicians overall (55%). About a quarter said their burnout was the same.
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Among their top strategies to quell burnout, physicians overall reduced their hours at work and took advantage of meditation or other stress-reduction methods (29% each). Intensivists were somewhat less likely to employ these strategies. (Participants could choose more than one response.)
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
The large majority of intensivists are currently in a committed relationship, with 83% either married or living with a partner. Likewise, 83% of physicians overall report being in such a relationship.
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Most physicians, no matter the specialty, appear to be in happy marriages.
Intensivists are toward the bottom of all specialties when it comes to marital happiness. Otolaryngologists and allergists topped the list (both 91%), followed closely by dermatologists, rheumatologists, and nephrologists (all 90%).
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Half of intensivists are married to or partners with someone who does not work in medicine. This is a somewhat smaller proportion than among all physicians (56%).
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Around half of intensivists said they are willing to take a cut in pay for better work-life balance or more free time. This is similar among physicians overall (55%).
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Among all physicians who said they were depressed, about a quarter (24%) said they were clinically depressed. Seventeen percent of intensivists reported the same.
"Burnout is a syndrome caused by occupational stress, whereas depression is an illness caused by many different biological, psychological, and social (including occupational) factors. As such, they can be causally related in both directions — burnout can be a vulnerability factor that leads to depression, and depression can make an individual more likely to suffer burnout," says Peter Yellowlees, MD, an expert in physician health.
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Forty-six percent of depressed intensivists said their depression does not have an impact on relationships with patients. Of those who saw an impact, the major behaviors they reported were being easily exasperated with patients and feeling less motivated to take patient notes carefully. (Participants could choose more than one response.)
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Intensivists are choosing to spend their time doing the things they enjoy, being with the ones they love, and exercising as main drivers to maintain their well-being, as are physicians overall. (Participants could choose more than one response.)
Alexis Polles, MD, medical director for the Professionals Resource Network, which assists impaired physicians, says that when doctors' lives get unbalanced, they need to find things that restore energy and joy.
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Perhaps it's not surprising that more physicians were happier with their work-life balance before the pandemic. Among intensivists, that was also the case.
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Sylvie M. Baggett
Lifestyle Editor
Medscape Medical Lifestyle
Keith L. Martin
Editorial Director
Medscape Business of Medicine
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