Comparison of the Depression Scale Between Emergency Medicine Assistant Doctors and Other Internal Branches Assistant Doctors

Abstract

Objective: Depression is common in the emergency service due to a higher number of patients, urgency status in the patients, and dense night shifts in emergency physicians compared to other units. In this study, depression levels were compared between emergency service and other internal medicine physicians. Methods: The research was conducted on 70 emergency service assistants and 70 other internal branch assistants working in training and research hospitals. Survey questions consisting of three parts were asked the participants. In the first part, questions about their sociodemographic characteristics were asked. In the second part, their perspectives according to their profession were asked. In the third part, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was applied. Pearson chi-square and Fisher's exact test were used in the analysis of categorical variables. Results: Although the emergency department assistants had higher BDI scores for 'mild mood disorder' and 'borderline clinical depression' than other internal medicine assistants, no significant difference was found in the total score. When the subparameters of the scale were examined, a difference was found between emergency and internal medicine physicians in terms of fatigue and appetite. The thought of resigning, exposure to psychological/physical violence, dissatisfaction with living in the city, smoking, and antidepressant use was statistically higher in emergency medicine residents. Conclusion: Among our emergency physicians, the BDI subgroup scores that questioned fatigue and appetite are higher. Thoughts of resignation, exposure to psychological/physical violence, smoking, and antidepressant use are more common. Emergency service physicians are a more fragile group and need to be supported.

Keywords

• depression
• depression scale
• emergency medicine