Common stressors, coping processes, and professional help-seeking of medical professionals in Hong Kong: A qualitative study

Despite the high prevalence of perceived stress and mental health problems among medical professionals (MPs), their professional help-seeking is extremely low. This qualitative study explored MPs’ stressors, stress-coping, barriers and facilitators of professional help-seeking. 10 MPs (30% male, Mag...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of health psychology 2024-07, Vol.29 (8), p.891-904
Main Authors: Chan, Kylie Kai-yi, Yeung, Nelson Chun-yiu, Mo, Phoenix Kit-han, Yang, Xue
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anonymity
Confidentiality
Coping
Disruption
Efficacy
Health problems
Help seeking behavior
Medical personnel
Medical technology
Mental disorders
Mental health care
Mental health services
Occupational roles
Occupational stress
Privacy
Social support
Staffing
Stigma
Stress
Telecommunications
Time use
Workplaces
Worry
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Summary:Despite the high prevalence of perceived stress and mental health problems among medical professionals (MPs), their professional help-seeking is extremely low. This qualitative study explored MPs’ stressors, stress-coping, barriers and facilitators of professional help-seeking. 10 MPs (30% male, Mage = 34.8 years) were recruited by purposive-sampling for views from different roles/settings. Thematic analyses revealed five central stressors: emerging novel diseases, challenges from technology-advancement, patient-communication difficulties, lack of workplace mental health care culture, excessive workload/manpower shortage. Participants predominantly used peer support/supervision and de-stress activities for stress-coping. Five factors affecting professional help-seeking were time constraint versus flexibility, mental health stigma versus de-stigmatization, concern over confidentiality/anonymity versus sense of privacy, worry about damage on professional role versus least work disruption, doubts of service providers versus perceived efficacy. All participants indicated a preference for online mental health service delivery. Results reflected unmet needs and service gaps from MPs’ perspectives for the development of future interventions.
ISSN:1359-1053
1461-7277
1461-7277
DOI:10.1177/13591053231218658