Keywords: Mental health; Physicians; Primary Care; Gender disparities; Work conditions

Background:

Physicians’ mental health is essential for both their well-being and the quality of care they provide. In recent years, technological advancements, the COVID-19 pandemic, and population ageing have increased workload and the complexity of clinical consultations, exacerbating stress and pressure on healthcare professionals. Understanding these patterns is critical for designing policies that support the next generation of physicians in increasingly demanding healthcare systems.

Research questions:

How are working conditions, and work setting associated with physicians’ mental health?
Do mental health outcomes differ by gender, age, or country of origin among physicians in Barcelona?
Has the proportion of physicians holding multiple job positions increased during the study period, and what is its relationship to mental well-being?

Method:

Cross-sectional study was conducted using data from 2 annual surveys. Mental health was measured through the General Health Questionnaire -GHQ-12. Information on age, sex, country of origin, number of jobs, work sector, and main work setting was collected. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and logistic regression were deployed.

Results:

From 1,368 physicians (928 women) in Barcelona, 55% were over 50 years old and 16.5% were foreign-born. Approximately 32.8% held multiple jobs -with an increase from 32.3% in 2021 to 34.7% in 2022, reaching 46.6% among men- and 80.5% worked in the public sector, with 41.7% in hospital settings (hospital work decreased from 46.0% to 43.5%, P:0.001). Women reported higher distress (2022 tension scores of 1.86 vs 1.60 in men) and sleep difficulties -1.47 versus 1.28 (P:0.0012).

Conclusions:

Findings highlight persistent gender disparities. Holding multiple jobs was associated with better mental well-being. A shift away from hospital-based roles suggests a search for less stressful environments, while public sector employment emerged as a risk factor for poor mental health. Foreign-born women showed greater vulnerability to depression.

Points for discussion:

How can medical institutions address persistent gender inequalities in mental health outcomes in physicians?

Should mental health monitoring become a structural part of workforce management in the healthcare sector?

How do working conditions, such as holding multiple jobs or working in the public sector, affect mental health outcomes among physicians?