Physician suicide: Overworked and feeling betrayed during the pandemic

One of the more critical issues impacting healthcare providers today is physician suicides, discussed by University of Iowa professors Diane S. Rohlman, PhD, of the department of Occupational & Environmental Health, and Gerard Clancy, MD, clinical professor of psychiatry and emergency medicine and former president of the University of Tulsa.

Suicide rates and mental health issues were already high in the medical field before the pandemic, which then added stress to already burdened physicians, nurses, and clinicians.

Studies show male physicians are at 1.5 to 1.9 times higher risk of suicide than the general population, while female physicians are at 2.27 to 2.78 times higher risk. And despite their background in medicine, physicians are much less likely to seek treatment for depression or suicidal ideation than the general population.

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