Mental Health and Quality of Life among Thai Psychiatrists
Lampu Kosulwit MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand
Objective : To survey the mental health and quality of life among Thai psychiatrists.
Material and Method: This cross-sectional descriptive study included all Thai psychiatrists. The postal survey was mailed
out to all psychiatrists. The questionnaires consisted of three parts: demographic data, the WHO Quality of Life-BREF-Thai
version and the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised-Thai edition. Correlation analysis was set up at 95% confident interval and
p<0.05.
Results : Response rate was 28% from all 650 psychiatrists. The respondents described normal state of mental health but
female psychiatrists had tended more to suppress the psychological symptoms than male psychiatrists. The mental problem
that might most disturb male psychiatrists under stress condition was obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Female psychiatrists
tended to be disturbed when distressed by (1) anxiety, (2) somatization, (3) phobia, (4) depression, and (5) paranoia,
respectively. The quality of life (QOL) of most psychiatrists was in the average level (77.5%). The older (>40 years old)
psychiatrists had higher QOL than younger psychiatrists significantly (p = 0.027). QOL correlated significantly with not
getting enough support from work place (p = 0.007), colleagues (p = 0.026), lack of consultancy (p = 0.011) and low job
satisfaction (p = 0.007). Better life quality in psychiatrists’ group had better QOL in social relationships and satisfaction with
the environment.
Conclusion : Thai psychiatrists had mental health status within normal range. Male psychiatrists had obsessive-compulsive
traits in stress response, but female psychiatrists had anxiety and somatization traits. Thai psychiatrists’ quality of life was on
the average level and most of them satisfied with their QOL.
Keywords : Mental health, Quality of life, Psychiatrist
