Health and stress in Australian interns

Abstract

Over a 3-year period, interns completed questionnaires on self-reported health and stress during their orientation week at the beginning of the year, during mid year, and at the end of the first year. Interns experienced increased levels of stress and ill health in the middle of the year as compared with the start and end of the year (χ2 = 11.9, P = 0.003 and χ2 = 20.4, P < 0.001, respectively). Despite workplace reform for junior doctors, this study suggests that interns still feel overburdened with work expectations and this is having a negative effect on their health.