Reviewing a Decade of Change for Veterinarians: Past, Present and Gaps in Researching Stress, Coping and Mental Health Risks

Abstract

Veterinary medicine is a highly complex profession that includes a very specific set of stressors that range from individual to social aspects, with several of them being relevant risk factors for a variety of conditions. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and cluster the material on stressors and suicidality in the veterinarian practice published during the last 10 years. The systematic review was conducted employing the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines using PubMed, PsycNet, Google Scholar, Medline, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX and Web of Science (2012–present) by two independent researchers resulting in the inclusion of 30 quantitative and mixed methods studies. Results of these studies on stressors were categorized using the bio-psycho-social model showing that social stressors play a prominent role. This category includes the largest number of stressors indicating that the human–human interactions in the veterinarian practice are the main stressor, underlining that training in communication techniques is a potential starting point for interventions. In addition to stressors, the results showed an additional category “psychological consequences” describing mental health disorders and suicide. Although there are still gaps in research there is enough evidence to establish more tailored health promotion measures for veterinarians.