PREDICTING MENTAL-HEALTH PROBLEMS IN GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS

A total of 704 general practitioners completed questionnaires enquirin g about mental health problems (response rate = 82.0%). Excessive anxi ety was reported by 31.1%, troublesome depression by 13.4%, exhaustion or stress (on three or more weekdays) by 60.7%, and sleep difficultie s by 47.6%. General practitioners aged 40-49 years old were most likel y to report anxiety, exhaustion or stress, sexual and sleep difficulti es. Retired doctors reported mental health problems markedly less ofte n. Predictive factors for anxiety were depression, one or more nights on-call per week, and exhaustion or stress; predictive factors for dep ression were anxiety, and exhaustion or stress; predictive factors for exhaustion or stress were anxiety, depression, no hobbies, paperwork on three or more evenings per week, and sleep difficulties. Gender, co untry of origin, being single-handed, excessive alcohol consumption, a nd having no coping methods were not predictive factors for mental hea lth problems.