Survey of Mental Health Status of Thai Physicians
Pornchai Sithisarankul*, Hansa Ruksakom*, Navapun Polboon*, Benjaporn Boontheaim*, Taweesin Visanuyothin**, Somkiat Wattanasirichaigoon***
Affiliation : * Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330 ** Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi *** Faculty of Medicine, Srinakarintarawirot University, Bangkok
This survey was aimed at obtaining a screening survey on mental health status of Thai physicians.
We systematically sampled to obtain 440 Thai physicians from the directory of Thai Center for Continuing
Medical Education (CCME). Then, we obtained their mental health status by mailing a questionnaire
containing Thai GHQ-28 and asking them to reply, later we obtained through telephone interview. The
response rate was 86.3 percent, and 60.3 percent of them were male. The result revealed that 15 male and 13
female physicians had abnormal mental health status. The overall prevalence rate of abnormal mental
health status was 7.4 percent. We also found a significant negative association between mental health status
and career satisfaction and the use of sedatives in the past 6 months.
This study pointed out that mental health of some Thai physicians was to be concerned. These
problems, along with their physical health problems, should be tackled systematically and preventatively in
order to have the majority of Thai physicians in good health and able to serve the population more effectively.
Keywords : Mental health, Thai physician
