Prevalence and predictors of depression among general surgery residents

Dana T. Lin, Cara A. Liebert, Micaela M. Esquivel, Jennifer Tran, James N. Lau, Ralph S. Greco, Claudia M. Mueller, Arghavan Salles

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background Recent resident suicides have highlighted the need to address depression among medical trainees. This study sought to identify the prevalence and predictors of depression among surgical residents. Methods Surgical residents at a single institution were surveyed. Depression and personal traits were assessed using validated measures; participant demographics were also obtained. Results 73 residents completed the survey (response rate 63%). 36% met criteria for at least mild depression, of which 20% met criteria for moderate to severe depression. In multivariate linear regression analyses controlling for demographic factors, trait emotional intelligence alone was a significant inverse predictor of depression (β = −0.60, p < 0.001). Conclusions Depression is prevalent among general surgery residents. Identifying protective factors and at-risk populations may allow for effective initiatives to be developed to address depression, and optimize the mental health of trainees.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)313-317
Number of pages5
JournalAmerican journal of surgery
Volume213
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1 2017

Keywords

  • Depression
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Mental health
  • Resident education
  • Well-being

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