A systematic review and meta-analysis revealed a significant 18.3% prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder among physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic, with higher risks identified for female physicians and medical trainees.

The recent study, published in JAMA Network Open, provided comprehensive insights into the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers analyzed data from 57 studies, encompassing a total of 28,965 participants from 25 countries.

Methods: The research team conducted a systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, and PsychInfo from December 2019 to November 2022, adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Eligible studies included those using validated PTSD diagnostic questionnaires. Data were synthesized using a random-effects meta-analysis model to pool prevalence estimates and calculate ORs for various physician characteristics.

Results: Key Findings:

• The pooled prevalence of PTSD among physicians was 18.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15.2%-22.8%), which is higher than pre-pandemic rates and those observed in the general population.
• Female physicians were found to have a higher likelihood of developing PTSD compared to male physicians, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.93 (95% CI, 1.56-2.39).
• Medical trainees exhibited higher PTSD prevalence compared to attending physicians (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.12-1.57).
• PTSD prevalence varied by specialty, with emergency and family medicine physicians reporting higher rates.

Among the 28,965 participants, 52.6% were male and 47.4% were female. Medical trainees constituted 37.1% of the sample, while attending physicians made up 62.9%. The prevalence of PTSD showed heterogeneity across studies. Younger physicians generally reported lower rates of PTSD, with some exceptions noted.

PTSD prevalence among medical trainees varied between 19.2% and 46.0% (mean, 31.0%), while among attending physicians, it ranged from 12.2% to 42.5% (mean, 24.7%). Emergency medicine physicians showed an average PTSD prevalence of 23.4% (ranging from 5.4% to 35.5%), whereas family medicine physicians had a prevalence of 31.2%.

Limitations: The study authors noted limitations such as heterogeneity in PTSD assessment tools and cutoff scores used across the included studies, which may impact the true prevalence estimate. Additionally, most studies were cross-sectional and survey-based, limiting the ability to determine causality.

Implications: The study findings suggest that targeted interventions to support physician well-being during traumatic events like pandemics are required. The authors emphasize the importance of further research and policy reform to uphold physician wellness practices.

Full disclosures can be found in the published study.