Anxiety, depression, health attitudes and coping strategies in doctors and teachers in a Cape Town setting

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dc.contributor.authorvan der Bijl H.
dc.contributor.authorOosthuizen P.
dc.date.accessioned2011-05-15T15:57:45Z
dc.date.available2011-05-15T15:57:45Z
dc.date.issued2007
dc.description.abstractObjective. To investigate two professional groups (doctors and teachers) with regard to symptoms of anxiety and depression as a measure of psychological distress, as well as perception regarding job satisfaction, workload and adequacy of remuneration. To assess health care behaviour as evidenced by substance use, psychotropic medication use, self-prescribing habits (in doctors), help-seeking behaviour as well as negative coping strategies as indicated by the intention to emigrate and/or leave the profession. Design. Data were collected from randomly distributed questionnaires which included a validated objective screening instrument, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Subjects and setting. Questionnaires were distributed among 260 physicians at Tygerberg. Academic Hospital and 200 teachers from five different schools in the northern suburbs of metropolitan Cape Town. Results: We found high levels of job dissatisfaction and symptoms of anxiety and depression in both groups, with teachers more affected than doctors. A large proportion of respondents with clinically significant levels of anxiety and depression remain untreated. Many respondents displayed a passive attitude with regard to seeking help. A significant proportion of doctors self-prescribed antidepressant and benzodiazepine medications. Only a small minority of doctors had a general practitioner whom they would consult when ill. Twenty-nine per cent of doctors indicated their intention to emigrate and 40% of teachers were planning to leave their profession. Conclusion: Our results suggest that doctors and teachers in South Africa are two professional groups at high risk for developing serious mental health problems, with low levels of recognition and intervention at present.
dc.description.versionArticle
dc.identifier.citationSouth African Journal of Psychiatry
dc.identifier.citation13
dc.identifier.citation2
dc.identifier.issn16089685
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/10583
dc.subjectantidepressant agent
dc.subjectanxiolytic agent
dc.subjectbenzodiazepine
dc.subjecthypnotic agent
dc.subjectpsychotropic agent
dc.subjectanxiety
dc.subjectarticle
dc.subjectattitude to health
dc.subjectcontrolled study
dc.subjectcoping behavior
dc.subjectdepression
dc.subjectdistress syndrome
dc.subjectdrug use
dc.subjectfemale
dc.subjectgeneral practitioner
dc.subjecthealth behavior
dc.subjecthealth survey
dc.subjecthelp seeking behavior
dc.subjecthigh risk population
dc.subjectHospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
dc.subjecthuman
dc.subjectjob satisfaction
dc.subjectmajor clinical study
dc.subjectmale
dc.subjectmigration
dc.subjectoccupational hazard
dc.subjectoccupational health
dc.subjectphysician
dc.subjectprescription
dc.subjectsalary
dc.subjectsex difference
dc.subjectSouth Africa
dc.subjectsubstance abuse
dc.subjectteacher
dc.subjectworkload
dc.titleAnxiety, depression, health attitudes and coping strategies in doctors and teachers in a Cape Town setting
dc.typeArticle
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