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Citation
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Gayed A, Kugenthiran N, Lamontagne AD, Christensen H, Glozier N, Harvey SB. Intern. Med. J. 2021; 51(9): 1441-1449. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Physician trainees have elevated rates of psychological distress, mental disorders and suicide. Physician supervisors can support the mental health needs of trainees.
AIMS: To test the feasibility and acceptability of a tailored online mental health training programme and to ascertain the potential effectiveness of the programme to alter the confidence and behaviours of physician supervisors.
METHODS: Thirty Australian hospital-based physicians who were supervising physician trainees participated in this quasi-experimental pre-post pilot study. All received the intervention that comprised 12 5-min modules to complete over a 3-week period. Baseline and post-intervention data were collected. The primary outcome evaluated participants' confidence to respond to trainees experiencing mental ill-health and promote a mentally healthy workplace. Secondary outcomes evaluated change in self-reported behaviour, mental health knowledge and stigmatising attitudes. Differences in mean scale scores for each outcome measure from baseline and post-intervention were compared using paired sample t-tests.
RESULTS: Thirty physicians completed the baseline assessment and 23 (76.7%) completed all programme modules. Most participants found the programme engaging, interesting and useful. Post-intervention data, available for 25 (83.3%) participants, showed a significant increase in participants' knowledge of their role in supporting trainees under their supervision (P = 0.002), confidence to initiate conversations about mental health with staff (P < 0.001), and application of preventive and responsive supervisory behaviours to support the mental health needs of those they supervise (P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: This online mental health training programme for physician supervisors was feasible and associated with improved confidence and behaviour to support the mental health needs of trainees they supervised.
Language: en |