The following is a summary of “Factors associated with surgeon recognition of mental health care opportunities and inclination to attend to mental health,” published in the July 2023 issue of the Psychosomatic Research by Ramtin et al.

Nearly all people who take their own lives have seen a doctor during the last several months before their passing. Through a survey-based experiment, the researchers looked into the relationship between surgeons’ ratings of mental health care opportunities and other factors related to surgeons, settings, and patients, and the relationship between surgeons’ ratings of mental health care referrals and other aspects related to surgeons, settings, and patients. About 124 members of the Science of Variation Group specializing in treating the upper extremities were shown five hypothetical cases involving a single orthopedic disease. 

The following elements of the hypothetical situations were randomly chosen: Mental health characteristics, office workload, gender, age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, symptoms, and diagnosis of a social worker or psychologist. When controlling for other factors, surgeons were more likely to discuss their mental health if they had cancer, were from a lower socioeconomic background, had attempted suicide before, had a history of physical or emotional abuse, worked alone, or came into the office when it was not crowded. 

Cancer, low socioeconomic level, mental health cues, mental health risk factors, and the presence of a social worker or psychologist in the office were all individually related to an increased likelihood of recommending a patient for mental health care. They used hypothetical situations with random aspects to show that mental health care specialists are aware of available resources, willing to bring up essential indicators, and willing to refer patients for help when it’s convenient.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022399923002258