Understanding loneliness and depression in psychiatry professionals: insights from a national survey of trainees and practitioners

Abstract

Background: This research investigated the prevalence of loneliness and its associated factors. These included depression and attitudes towards social support and work among psychiatry trainees as well as practitioners. Methods: From January to February 2023, this cross-sectional study used an online survey to gather data from Thai psychiatry trainees and psychiatrists. The survey included: demographic and work-related questions, assessments of social support and work perceptions; the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (Thai version), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9, Thai version). Descriptive statistics were used for initial analysis, while multiple logistic regression was employed to identify loneliness-associated factors. Results: Out of 225 participants, 52 were psychiatry trainees (23.1%), and 173 were psychiatrists (76.9%); with a median age of 34 years (interquartile range: 30–42). The survey revealed that 15.6% of participants experienced high levels of loneliness, with 9.6% of trainees and 17.3% of psychiatrists reporting this condition. No statistically significant differences in loneliness levels between trainees and practitioners were found. Multivariate analysis indicated that higher loneliness was linked to less control over work schedules and lower levels of family support. Conclusions: Addressing factors, such as control over work schedules and family support, could be crucial in mitigating loneliness among mental health professionals.