An Investigation of the Relationship between Senior Doctor's Support and Resident's Depressive State / General Medicine

ABSTRACT

<b>Background:</b> A depressive state for residents during residency training is a serious problem. Enhancement of senior doctor's support is considered to be one preventive measure, but it is uncertain whether onset of a new depressive state during training is related to senior doctors' support.<br><b>Methods:</b> A dual questionnaire survey was conducted in 2003 on 608 first-year residents at 40 teaching hospitals in Japan. Residents who had not been in a depressive state at the time of the first survey-using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) Scale, but were in a depressive state at the time of the second survey were defined as “residents in a new-onset depressive state.” The degree of senior doctors' support was assessed with Senior Doctor's Support Scale (SDSS), then adjusted OR and 95% CI of the residents in a new-onset depressive state were computed with a multivariate logistic regression model.<br><b>Results:</b> 82 residents (24.4%) were determined to be “residents in the new-onset depressive state.” The mean CES-D Score of Low SDSS Score Group (n=24), Middle SDSS Score Group (n=100), and High SDSS Score Group (n=152) were 20.0 (SD=9.9), 13.8 (SD=8.7), and 11.0 (SD=8.0), respectively (p<0.001). With logistic regression, residents who could fall into a depressive state during residency training were considered to be those who achieve middle SDSS Score (OR 3.04, 95% CI 1.45-4.80) and low SDSS score (OR 17.89, 95% CI 4.83-66.30).<br><b>Conclusion:</b> Because onset of residents' depressive state is related to senior doctors' support, we should enhance support during residency training.