Healthy and Work-Engaged Medical Doctors

Today, stress-related disorders are a widespread problem among medical doctors. Within the current COVID-19 crisis, their mental health becomes an even higher priority. Research on the short- and long-term effects of a pandemic outbreak on the mental health of medical doctors is limited, as well as how to build their resilience and setup preventive interventions. Our study has a longitudinal set-up, covering the full educational career path of medical doctors; and is large-scale, including multiple specializations (i.e. general practitioners, emergency medicine, etc.). We commit to a biopsychosocial perspective by collecting psychosocial data through a survey and exploring biomarker samples connected to burnout mechanisms. Also, we develop interventions with the participants following a ‘human-centered design thinking’ approach. Our valorization strategy lies in our partnerships with ‘IDEWE’, ‘Ally.Institute’, ‘Arts in Nood’ and ‘Anacura’. Moreover, the study will instigate further international research (i.e. H2020).

Keywords:medical doctors, mental health, biomarkers, pandemic, co-creation

Disciplines:Epidemiology, Epigenetics, Mental healthcare services, Occupational health and safety, Research methods and experimental design