ABSTRACT
Objectives. Determining the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among physicians and mapping of the perceived sources of social support. Design. Secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional survey. Methods. From a repeated survey of health care workers in Flanders (Belgium) (n = 8,350), practicing physicians were retained (n = 873). The survey, conducted between April and June 2020 during the first wave of the pandemic in Belgium, questioned respondents about the perceived occurrence of 11 personal and 8 professional reactions during the last week and in normal circumstances. Using odds ratios, the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the occurrence of these reactions was examined. Furthermore, the perceived sources of social support were listed and are descriptively presented. Results. For the 11 perceived personal reactions and 2 negative and 1 positive professional reaction, there is a significant association with the COVID-19 pandemic, namely a more frequent occurrence. Through the pandemic, significant differences have emerged between general practitioners and medical specialists with a more frequent occurrence of negative reactions in the general practitioner population. Respondents indicate that mental support is mainly found in their immediate environment and in colleagues outside their organization. Conclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on the mental well-being of physicians. While the impact on general practitioners remains high throughout the crisis, some normalization among medical specialists is seen towards the end of the first wave. Long-term follow-up and initiatives regarding mental support for physicians are necessary. Copyright © 2022 Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde en Gezondheidszorg. All rights reserved.