The recent news of physician suicides is undoubtedly an issue that saddens and worries all of us. Although the actual number is unknown, physician suicides are at a considerable frequency.
While being a doctor carries a low risk in terms of deaths due to all medical causes when compared to the general population. , doctors were found to be at greater risk than the normal population only in terms of deaths due to suicide. (1) In a study where psychological autopsies were performed on physicians who died by suicide; It has been reported that most of those who died had depression, alcohol or substance use disorders, and had problems at work. (2) In physician suicides, physicians' ability to know lethal methods and access to these resources increases completed suicide. problems that may be related to the medical profession, such as exposure to violence, etc.); When health problems that are not related to being a doctor, such as marriage, family, career-related problems, exposure to mobbing, and health problems that may be related to heavy stress are added, it seems inevitable that many mental problems such as depression will arise.
In a study, 73.4% of doctors said that They reported that they told their mental illnesses to their families and friends rather than experts on this subject, but 12.9% reported that they disclosed them to a specialist. (3) In this study conducted in England; It has been commented that the electronic record of personal data in the UK is linked to a large number of computers among hospitals, and that this increases the possibility of other colleagues accessing this information. (3)
At the point of access to personal data, psychiatry applications are made from pharmacies, hospital records, etc. The possibility of accessing information such as diagnosis, medication report, etc. can be worrying for other healthcare personnel and citizens, as well as physicians. Receiving psychological support, having a psychiatric illness can lead to stigmatization and exclusion by society. All these reasons may prevent applying and receiving support.
Despite the increasing number of community-based service practices, number of hospital beds, etc. in recent years, support provision tools, such as receiving regular and adequate help for mental health, are not comparable to some countries. However, there are still inadequacies. This is also an issue that affects regular treatment. According to World Health Organization data; While the number of psychiatrists per 100 thousand people in our country is 3.8; for example, in Switzerland it is 45.1. Compared to other European countries, Türkiye; It is far behind countries such as France (22.3), Germany (20.8), Greece (16.9%), Spain (10.1), Macedonia (10.1).
Staying silent for a long time, not telling anyone about their illness, and not doing their daily work. It may not be noticed by co-workers or even spouses due to the effort not to show it, and unfortunately, awareness of the person's problem can only develop when faced with a sudden death. In the context of these sad physician suicides we are experiencing, individual and social awareness development on the subject requires the physician to become aware of the problem. It is extremely important to carry out effective work to eliminate problems such as violence against women, improving the working conditions of doctors, etc.
Read: 0
