da Silva Carina Rodrigues, Gomes Ana Amélia Domingues, Dos Santos-Doni Thaís Rabelo, Antonelli Alexandre Coutinho, Vieira Rafael Felipe da Costa, da Silva Alexandre Redson Soares
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco, Campus of Agricultural Sciences, Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Vet World. 2023 Jun;16(6):1266-1276. doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.1266-1276. Epub 2023 Jun 8.
Veterinarians are commonly exposed to occupational stressors, including excessive workload and financial constraints. These stressors can lead to psychological distress, which typically results in mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and burnout and can even culminate in suicide attempts or suicide deaths. Risk factors associated with poor mental health and high rates of suicide in veterinary practitioners include continuous exposure to challenging scenarios, such as interpersonal conflicts, performing euthanasia, and easy access to lethal means of suicide, such as opioids and anesthetics. The previous studies highlight the urgent need for a better understanding of predisposing factors, mental health-related improvements in the professional environment, and the subsequent establishment of primary mental health-related care policies. Effective ways to promote mental health and prevent suicide may include social support, resilience, developing coping skills, promoting a healthy work environment, and discouraging perfectionist behaviors. This review aimed to summarize findings in studies that have investigated mental health and suicide in veterinarians and veterinary students and highlight measures that could be implemented as options for mental health promotion and suicide prevention.
兽医经常面临职业压力源，包括工作量过大和经济限制。这些压力源会导致心理困扰，通常会引发心理健康障碍，如抑郁症、焦虑症和职业倦怠，甚至可能导致自杀未遂或自杀死亡。兽医从业者心理健康不佳和自杀率高的相关风险因素包括持续接触具有挑战性的情况，如人际冲突、实施安乐死，以及容易获得阿片类药物和麻醉剂等自杀致死手段。先前的研究强调迫切需要更好地了解诱发因素、改善职业环境中与心理健康相关的状况，并随后制定与初级心理健康相关的护理政策。促进心理健康和预防自杀的有效方法可能包括社会支持、恢复力、培养应对技能、促进健康的工作环境以及劝阻完美主义行为。本综述旨在总结调查兽医和兽医学生心理健康与自杀情况的研究结果，并强调可作为促进心理健康和预防自杀选项实施的措施。
