Occupational Stress among Physicians: Some Coping Mechanisms

Abstract

Impairment among physicians due to high stress levels has been documented in the past, but little research has been conducted concerning the coping mechanisms physicians use to reduce their stress level. The present study analyzed responses from 377 physicians across the country to determine what methods wore most effective. It is concluded that prediction of stress level on the basis of employment of 15 coping mechanisms is not possible, but that physicians with lower stress levels use 6 of the methods more than their high stress counterparts. Other demographic differences are also analyzed, and implications for the training of medical students are discussed.