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Characteristics Associated with Depression and Suicidal Thoughts Among Medical Residents: Results from the DEPRESS-Ohio Study

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Abstract

Objective

This study describes the characteristics that are associated with depression in residents and also examines resident perception of available mental health support.

Methods

Residents and their program directors from each of 10 specialties across all academic training institutions in Ohio were electronically surveyed over a 2-month period. Generalized logistic regression was used to test for association between risk factors and depression and, among depressed residents, with suicidal thoughts.

Results

Using the PHQ-9, 19% of residents met criteria for at least moderate depression and 31.1% of depressed residents had suicidal thoughts. Over 70% of depressed residents were not receiving treatment, including 70% of depressed residents with suicidal thoughts. Residents who were unaware of wellness programming or did not believe their program director would be supportive of a depressed resident were significantly more likely to be depressed. Residents who believed depression treatment would negatively impact medical licensure were significantly more likely to be depressed. Male program directors and those in their position for fewer than 5 years were significantly more likely to have depressed residents in their program.

Conclusions

A substantial proportion of depressed residents have suicidal thoughts, and most are not receiving treatment. Depressed residents may perceive the availability of support from their program director differently than their non-depressed colleagues, and may perceive greater risk to medical licensure if they seek treatment.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge contributions by the following participants in the DEPRESS-Ohio Study Group:

Julie Niedermier

Ryan Mast

Richard Ulrich

Marijo Tamburrino

Rusheeth Thummalapally

Ronne Proch

Erin Dean

Lindsay O’Brien

Melissa Wagner Schuman

Sophianne Morgan

Christine Collins

Funding

Funding was provided by the Columbus Medical Association Foundation and the Ohio Psychiatric Physicians Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Alan B. Levy

  2. Wright State University, Dayton, OH, USA

    Ramzi W. Nahhas & Christina Weston

  3. University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Suzanne Sampang

  4. Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Karen Jacobs

  5. Case Western Reserve, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Cathleen Cerny-Suelzer

  6. University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA

    Amy Riese

  7. Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Medicine, Rootstown, OH, USA

    Mark R. Munetz

  8. Ohio Psychiatric Physicians Association, Columbus, OH, USA

    Janet Shaw

Authors
  1. Alan B. Levy
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  2. Ramzi W. Nahhas
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  3. Suzanne Sampang
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  4. Karen Jacobs
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  5. Christina Weston
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  6. Cathleen Cerny-Suelzer
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  7. Amy Riese
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  8. Mark R. Munetz
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  9. Janet Shaw
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alan B. Levy.

Ethics declarations

This study was conducted after acquiring IRB approval at all seven academic training institutions. Surveys were completed after each participant acknowledged informed consent.

Disclosures

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Levy, A.B., Nahhas, R.W., Sampang, S. et al. Characteristics Associated with Depression and Suicidal Thoughts Among Medical Residents: Results from the DEPRESS-Ohio Study. Acad Psychiatry 43, 480–487 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-019-01089-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-019-01089-9

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