Journal of Health Policy and Management
Vol. 9 No. 2 (2024)

Is Longer Working Time Associated with Depression and Mental Well-being in Resident and Young Doctors?

Ayu Nanda Sari (Masters Program in Public Health, Universitas Sebelas Maret)
Hanung Prasetya (Study Program of Acupuncture, Health Polytechnics, Ministry of Health Surakarta)
Bhisma Murti (Masters Program in Public Health, Universitas Sebelas Maret)



Article Info

Publish Date
16 May 2024

Abstract

Background: Long working hours are known to have a negative impact on health. This study aims to explore the association between long working hours on depression and mental well-being with a nationally representative sample. Subjects and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 176 resident doctors and young doctors in Indonesia via Google Forms from November 2022 to July 2023. Depression and mental well-being were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the World Health Organization's five-item Well-Being Index (WHO-5). The correlation between working hours (< 12 hours and ≥ 12 hours on weekdays) and depression was analyzed using multiple linear regression, while the interrelation between working hours and mental well-being applied multiple logistic regression. Results: A total of 53 (30.11%) resident doctors and junior doctors worked ≥ 12 hours on weekdays. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that individuals with work duration ≥ 12 hours had a probability of experiencing depression 1.93 units higher than those who worked < 12 hours (b= 1.93; 95% CI= 0.35 to 3.51; p= 0.017). The multiple logistic regression model shows that individuals with work periods of ≥ 12 hours are 2.69 times more at risk of having poor mental well-being than those who work < 12 hours (OR= 2.69; 95% CI= 1.26 to 5.74; p= 0.010). Conclusion: Working too long is significantly associated with the development of depressive symptoms and poor mental well-being. Management of working hours for resident doctors and young doctors is essential for maintaining physical and psychological health in order to improve the quality of care. Keywords: long working hours, depression, mental well-being

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Journal Info

Abbrev

thejhpm

Publisher

Subject

Medicine & Pharmacology Public Health

Description

Journal of Health Policy and Management (JHPM) is an electronic, open-access, double-blind and peer-reviewed international multidisciplinary and integrative journal, focusing on health policy, health system, and healthcare management. It began its publication on October 21, 2015. The journal is ...