To the bone: Prevalence and correlates of depression and anxiety among orthopedic residents in Mexico

Abstract

Objective The present study examined among orthopedic residents the relationship between the presence of depressive or anxious symptoms and the degree of perfectionism, perceived work-related distress, and involvement in the care of patient(s) who died. Method A cross-sectional online survey based on self-reported measures was used to collect the data from October 2019 to April 2021. Results The sample consisted of 642 orthopedic residents (50.6% response rate; 70.9% male; average age 29.8 years old). A total of 12.5 and 18.4% reported depressive or anxious symptoms, respectively. On a scale of 0-100, the mean score of perceived work-related distress was 51.9. A third (33.6%) reported being involved in the care of patient(s) who had died. Higher levels of perceived work-related distress and higher scores on the indecision of action/perfectionism dimension were associated with depressive and anxious symptoms. Being involved in the care of patient(s) who had died was associated with having anxious symptoms (OR = 1.79; 95%CI = 1.18-2.72). Conclusions These results highlight the need for the systematic monitoring of the mental health status of orthopedic residents in Mexico, particularly those who report a high level of work-related distress or perfectionism or who have recently experienced the death of a patient.