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A survey of physicians' perceptions of their health care needs
M W Steffen1, P T Hagen2, K Benkhadra2
1Division of Preventive, Occupational, and Aerospace Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. steffen.mark@mayo.edu.
Background:
Physicians may face unique challenges in accessing health care and managing their own health.
Aims:
To evaluate physicians' perceptions of their health care needs and desired services.
Methods:
A written survey, distributed and collected anonymously among attendees at a large primary care continuing medical education conference.
Results:
The survey was given to 346 physicians and 141 (41%) responded. The majority of physicians (53%) reported having difficulty accessing health care and reverting to self-diagnosis and treatment (63%). Over 83% reported having or knowing a colleague who had a career-threatening illness and 42% had experienced concern about a colleague's ability to practise safely.
Conclusions:
Physicians as an occupational group have challenges in accessing health care, very commonly suffer career-limiting illnesses and revert to self-diagnosis and treatment. Programmes tailored to providing health care to physicians are needed.
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