Patterns and Correlates of Utilization of Mental Health Services, Distress, and Flourishing Among Academic Medical Trainees and Faculty Throughout the COVID Pandemic and Beyond.

OBJECTIVE

The COVID pandemic struck after decades of high distress among clinicians, but little is known about their utilization of mental health services. This investigation examines peri-pandemic mental health services utilization by academic medical trainees and faculty, including levels of distress and flourishing among utilizers.

METHODS

Authors examined psychological and psychiatric service utilization through an academic medical center's wellness program between 2019 and 2023. Program utilizers consenting to research completed standardized measures of distress and flourishing. Statistical analysis compared results including demographic correlates during four intervals: before the COVID pandemic, before and after vaccine availability, and after the state of emergency was lifted.

RESULTS

Of the 1212 individuals who utilized the program, 697 consented to research participation. Utilization rates ranged among eligible trainees between 26.4% (273/1032) and 36.0% (378/1050) and faculty between 6.4% (125/1946) and 8.2% (213/2592) per 9-month interval. Utilization was more intensive pre-vaccine and post-state of emergency. BIPOC utilization significantly increased in all three intervals after COVID began, including an observed increase in Asian utilizers. Flourishing was lowest in the post-vaccine and post-state of emergency intervals. Surgical specialties reported higher flourishing than non-surgical specialties. No differences in distress were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Within this robustly utilized program, the percentage of eligible clinicians initiating services was steady and increased after the state of emergency was lifted. An increase in utilization by BIPOC clinicians coincided with an increase in Asian discrimination nationally. Academic medical institutions should be prepared to meet the evolving and expanding mental health treatment needs of diverse trainees and faculty.