{"id":2056,"date":"2018-02-07T14:41:10","date_gmt":"2018-02-07T22:41:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/phosdev.com\/todaysveterinarybusiness\/?p=2056"},"modified":"2022-03-10T21:49:08","modified_gmt":"2022-03-10T21:49:08","slug":"mental-health-study-reveals-good-bad-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/mental-health-study-reveals-good-bad-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Mental health study reveals good, bad news"},"content":{"rendered":"

A newly released study shows that the overall mental health of U.S. veterinarians is about the same as that of the general population, challenging long-held concerns that the industry is awash in depression and suicide.<\/p>\n

Still, the researchers cautioned that particular attention should be paid to younger veterinarians, whom the study found are more likely to experience serious psychological distress.<\/p>\n

The results of the Merck Animal Health Veterinary Wellbeing Study were unveiled Feb. 6 at the VMX conference in Orlando, Florida.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur data do not support that there is a \u2026 widespread mental health crisis in the profession,\u201d said Elizabeth Strand, Ph.D., LCSW, director of veterinary social work at the University of Tennessee.<\/p>\n

Dr. Strand was joined by co-investigators John Volk, a senior consultant with Brakke Consulting, which conducted the online survey in November 2017, and Linda Lord, DVM, Ph.D., the academic and allied industry liaison lead with Merck Animal Health, which funded the study.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis survey is unique in that, for the first time, a nationally representative sample of veterinarians in the U.S. were asked about their well-being, which is a broader measure of happiness and life satisfaction than mental health alone,\u201d Dr. Lord said. \u201cBased on the survey results, we are particularly concerned about younger veterinarians as they are the future of our profession. We must work together to promote a healthy lifestyle, including work-life balance<\/a>, access to wellness resources and debt reduction.\u201d<\/p>\n

The study found that 5.3 percent of veterinarians, or about 1-in-20, suffer from serious psychological distress, a number consistent with that of the general population. Those veterinarians were identified through use of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale.<\/p>\n

When it came to well-being \u2014 happiness or contentment, in other words \u2014 veterinarians were found to be worse off. Some 9.1 percent were deemed to be suffering, compared with 7.3 percent of the general population.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe factors that contribute to low well-being are student debt, low income, working long hours and relief work,\u201d Dr. Strand said.<\/p>\n

High levels of well-being, she said, can be attributed to being married or in a relationship, having a satisfactory family life, engaging in healthy activities such as exercise, travel and hobbies, and socializing with friends.<\/p>\n

The survey also found:<\/p>\n