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Healthcare Workers Struggling With Behavioral Health Problems, Survey Finds

Analysis  |  By Christopher Cheney  
   August 30, 2022

A survey of 1,000 healthcare workers finds mental health concerns as well as significant levels of alcohol and substance abuse.

About half of healthcare workers are either at their breaking point or seeking new jobs because of the stress and trauma they are experiencing at work, according to new survey data.

The coronavirus pandemic has severely strained healthcare workers. A healthcare worker well-being expert has told HealthLeaders that burnout rates ranged from 30% to 50% before the pandemic and now range from 40% to 70%.

The new survey, which was conducted by All Points North (APN), features data collected from 1,000 healthcare workers between July 19 and July 25. Based in Edwards, Colorado, APN is a whole person health company that specializes in the care of healthcare workers, veterans, and athletes. Services provided by APN include group and individual therapy, medical detox, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, trauma-based therapy, medication management, and small-group fitness.

The survey generated several key data points:

  • 49% of survey respondents said they are either at their breaking point or seeking new jobs because of the stress and trauma they are experiencing at work
     
  • 40% of survey respondents said they feel anxiety or dread about going to work
     
  • 64% of survey respondents said that the scrapping of Roe v. Wade either boosted their stress or made them feel betrayed
     
  • 14% of physicians said they were using alcohol or controlled substances at work
     
  • 21% of physicians said they were using alcohol or controlled substances multiple times per day
     
  • About 20% of healthcare workers said they had checked into rehab or a detox facility in the previous three months, but 14% said they did not want to admit they have a problem
     
  • Survey respondents cited several reasons for not seeking help: 32% said they were overworked and did not have time to seek help, 23% said they were concerned that colleagues or family would judge them, 23% said they feared license revocation, and 20% said they did not know where to begin and that the system was broken or too hard to navigate
     
  • Male healthcare workers were more likely to struggle with alcohol or substance abuse compared to their female counterparts: 21% of men versus 4% of women were more likely to use their work position to acquire controlled substances, 18% of men compared to 4% of women were likely to use alcohol or controlled substances while at work, 44% of men versus 17% of women were likely to use alcohol or controlled substances up to 12 hours before their shift

The survey report says the findings are troubling. "Our 2022 State of Mental Health: American Healthcare Workers Report indicates high levels of substance abuse, an acute mental health crisis, and stigma within the healthcare industry. This report also highlights the brokenness of the healthcare system, proving it is difficult to navigate, even for people who work within the system."

Interpreting the data

The founder and CEO of APN, Noah Nordheimer, told HealthLeaders that there are several ways to encourage healthcare workers to get help for mental health issues. "We have to keep chipping away at the stigma of mental health in healthcare from all angles—raising awareness around burnout, normalizing mental health days, encouraging organizational initiatives for work-life balance, and providing clear pathways for non-judgmental help. While we advocate for systemic progress, friends and family of healthcare workers can care for their loved ones by creating a safe space for honest conversations. Heroes are humans, too."

The challenges are similar in encouraging healthcare workers to seek help for alcohol and substance abuse, he said. "There is still so much progress we want to see in the stigma around substance use disorders in healthcare fields, much of which echoes our sentiments about mental health stigma. Still, it's important to remember that there are loads of healthcare leaders who want to help their employees to reach providers like APN to get them back to well-being and back to work. Healthcare workers and their families can also look into trusted, confidential resources like physician health programs through the Federation of State Physician Health Programs to help them navigate issues and options."

There are several reasons why male healthcare workers are struggling more than their female counterparts with stress, burnout, trauma, and alcohol and substance abuse, Nordheimer said. "As the data in APN's 2022 State of Mental Health: American Healthcare Workers Report shows, male healthcare workers struggle more because of the stigma attached with seeking help. They are often afraid their colleagues and family will judge them, afraid their license will get revoked, and some even think the system is broken and too hard to navigate, even though they work within the healthcare system."

Actions must be taken to reduce the stigma of behavioral health issues among healthcare workers, he said. "Every person in healthcare, especially those in policy, licensing, and management, needs to begin looking at healthcare as inclusive of mental health. Then operate from there. We need a fundamental shift in our philosophy of what health is. A person who is physically healthy but mentally struggling is not 'well' in the way that they can be. Healthcare providers, companies, and organizations can set the tone for a shift by educating and equipping the systems and people who may be affected."

Christopher Cheney is the CMO editor at HealthLeaders.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

40% of survey respondents said they feel anxiety or dread about going to work

14% of physicians said they were using alcohol or controlled substances at work

About 20% of healthcare workers said they had checked into rehab or a detox facility in the previous three months, but 14% said they did not want to admit they have a problem

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