Long working hours linked with mental illness in junior docs
Junior doctors who work very long hours are more than twice as likely to experience suicidal ideation than those with shorter weeks, a study suggests
There are fresh calls for an end to the culture of demanding extremely long working weeks from junior doctors, amid new evidence of a link between hours worked and mental illness.
Researchers examined the responses of almost 2800 interns, prevocational and vocational doctors to the 2013 Beyondblue National Mental Health Survey, which included questions about working hours and a general health questionnaire.
The junior doctors reported working just over 50 hours per week on average, a schedule associated with slightly higher levels of mental illness than those with the shortest weeks.
One-quarter of the group said they worked more than 55 hours a week and their likelihood of reporting suicidal ideation doubled, the researchers said.
