Majority of Indian docs stressed out due to fear of violence: IMA

New Delhi: The majority of doctors in India feel stressed out mainly because of the fear of violence, revealed a recent study released Saturday on the occasion of National Doctors' Day.

The study, conducted by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), found that about 82.7 per cent of doctors in India are stressed out in their profession.

Fear of violence is the main stressor in many doctors (46.3 per cent) followed by fear of being sued (24.2 per cent) and fear of criminal prosecution (13.7 per cent).

The findings come in light of the many atrocities faced by the medical fraternity, the most disturbing of which includes violence against doctors and their criminal prosecution.

The anxiety of doctors over the issues plaguing the profession is evident by the fact that about 56 per cent of them do not get a comfortable seven-hour sleep most days of the week, said Dr K K Aggarwal, National President of IMA.

Conducted online over a period of 15 days, the survey received responses from 1,681 doctors including general practitioners, physicians, surgeons, gynaecologists and super specialists working in private OPDs, nursing homes, corporate hospitals and government hospitals.

"It is an eyeopener on the extent to which doctors have been affected. About 62.8 per cent of the doctors surveyed are unable to see their patients without any fear of violence and 57.7 per cent have thought of hiring security in their premises," Dr Aggarwal said.

The results prove the fact that doctors are not very happy with what they are doing and a large part of it is due to lack of patient trust in them.

The emotional, mental, and physical attacks on doctors are at an all-time high. More than half of the doctors surveyed indicate that they suffer from increasing anxiety.

"A sizable chunk does not want their children or grandchildren to take up this profession. Most doctors are of the opinion that while they chose medicine because it was worthwhile and noble, the profession has been reduced to nothing but a charade today," Dr Aggarwal said.

The study further stated that a large number of doctors suffer from blood pressure and diabetes. Another notable factor is that about 76.3 per cent also get anxiety quite often.

As per a nationwide study conducted by IMA earlier, doctors face maximum violence while providing emergency services, with as many as 48.8 per cent of such incidents reported from intensive care units (ICUs) or after a patient undergoes surgery.

The main reason reported behind such violence is unnecessary investigations or delay in attending to a patient.