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Doctors’ health and wellbeing: taking up the challenge in Australia

Peter Schattner, Sandra Davidson and Nathan Serry
Med J Aust 2004; 181 (7): . || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb06321.x
Published online: 4 October 2004

Promoting psychological wellness in doctors requires tailored interventions


  • 1 Department of General Practice, Monash University, East Bentleigh, VIC.
  • 2 Albert Road Clinic, South Melbourne, VIC.


Correspondence: 

  • 1. Puddester, D. The Canadian Medical Association’s Policy on Physician Health and Well-being. West J Med 2001; 174: 5-7.
  • 2. Firth-Cozens J. Doctors, their wellbeing, and their stress. It’s time to be proactive about stress – and prevent it. BMJ 2003; 326: 670-671.
  • 3. Carpenter L, Swerdlow A, Fear N. Mortality of doctors in different specialties: findings from a cohort of 20 000 NHS consultants. Occup Environ Med 1997; 54: 388-395.
  • 4. Davidson S, Schattner P. Doctors’ health-seeking behaviour: a questionnaire survey. Med J Aust 2003; 179: 302-305. <MJA full text>
  • 5. McCall L, Maher T, Piterman L. Preventive health behaviour among general practitioners in Victoria. Aust Fam Physician 1999; 28: 854-857.
  • 6. Weiner E, Swain GR, Wolf B, Gottlieb M. A qualitative study of physicians’ own wellness-promotion practices. West J Med 2001; 174: 19-23.
  • 7. Forsythe M, Calnan M, Wall B. Doctors as patients: postal survey examining consultants and general practitioners adherence to guidelines. BMJ 1999; 319: 605-608.
  • 8. Caplan R. Stress, anxiety and depression in hospital consultants, general practitioners, and senior health service managers. BMJ 1994; 309: 1261-1263.
  • 9. Vaillant G, Sobowale N, McArthur C. Some psychologic vulnerabilities of physicians. N Engl J Med 1972; 287: 372-375.
  • 10. Schattner P, Coman G. The stress of metropolitan general practice. Med J Aust 1998; 169: 133-137. <MJA full text>
  • 11. Bailie R, Sibthorpe B, Douglas B, et al. Mixed feelings: satisfaction and disillusionment among Australian general practitioners. Canberra: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, 1997.
  • 12. Dowell A, Hamilton S, McLeod D. Job satisfaction, psychological morbidity and job stress among New Zealand general practitioners. N Z Med J 2000; 113: 269-272.
  • 13. Firth-Cozens J. Interventions to improve physicians’ well-being and patient care. Soc Sci Med 2001; 52: 215-222.
  • 14. Davidson S, Hartwig B, James C, et al. GP wellbeing project. Final report to Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care. Melbourne: Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, and Department of General Practice, Monash University, 2001.
  • 15. Hartwig B, Nichols A. GP health and well-being. The issues explored. Brisbane North Division of General Practice, 2000. Available at: www.bndgp.com.au (follow links to Doctors’ Health > Research) (accessed Aug 2004).
  • 16. Gordon J. Fostering students’ personal and professional development in medicine: a new framework for PPD. Med Educ 2003; 37: 371-349.
  • 17. Hassed C. Know thyself: the stress release programme. Melbourne: Hill of Content, 2002.

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