Reviewing a Decade of Change for Veterinarians: Past, Present and Gaps in Researching Stress, Coping and Mental Health Risks

Veterinary medicine is a highly complex profession that includes a very specific set of stressors that range from individual to social aspects, with several of them being relevant risk factors for a variety of conditions. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and cluster the material on...

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Main Authors: Birgit Ursula Stetina, Christine Krouzecky
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-11-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/22/3199
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author Birgit Ursula Stetina
Christine Krouzecky
author_facet Birgit Ursula Stetina
Christine Krouzecky
author_sort Birgit Ursula Stetina
collection DOAJ
description Veterinary medicine is a highly complex profession that includes a very specific set of stressors that range from individual to social aspects, with several of them being relevant risk factors for a variety of conditions. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and cluster the material on stressors and suicidality in the veterinarian practice published during the last 10 years. The systematic review was conducted employing the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines using PubMed, PsycNet, Google Scholar, Medline, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX and Web of Science (2012–present) by two independent researchers resulting in the inclusion of 30 quantitative and mixed methods studies. Results of these studies on stressors were categorized using the bio-psycho-social model showing that social stressors play a prominent role. This category includes the largest number of stressors indicating that the human–human interactions in the veterinarian practice are the main stressor, underlining that training in communication techniques is a potential starting point for interventions. In addition to stressors, the results showed an additional category “psychological consequences” describing mental health disorders and suicide. Although there are still gaps in research there is enough evidence to establish more tailored health promotion measures for veterinarians.
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spelling doaj.art-c577b3bb2a654ac996ac4a51af40c5e22023-11-24T07:29:49ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152022-11-011222319910.3390/ani12223199Reviewing a Decade of Change for Veterinarians: Past, Present and Gaps in Researching Stress, Coping and Mental Health RisksBirgit Ursula Stetina0Christine Krouzecky1Faculty of Psychology, Sigmund Freud University Vienna, Freudplatz 1, 1020 Vienna, AustriaFaculty of Psychology, Sigmund Freud University Vienna, Freudplatz 1, 1020 Vienna, AustriaVeterinary medicine is a highly complex profession that includes a very specific set of stressors that range from individual to social aspects, with several of them being relevant risk factors for a variety of conditions. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and cluster the material on stressors and suicidality in the veterinarian practice published during the last 10 years. The systematic review was conducted employing the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines using PubMed, PsycNet, Google Scholar, Medline, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX and Web of Science (2012–present) by two independent researchers resulting in the inclusion of 30 quantitative and mixed methods studies. Results of these studies on stressors were categorized using the bio-psycho-social model showing that social stressors play a prominent role. This category includes the largest number of stressors indicating that the human–human interactions in the veterinarian practice are the main stressor, underlining that training in communication techniques is a potential starting point for interventions. In addition to stressors, the results showed an additional category “psychological consequences” describing mental health disorders and suicide. Although there are still gaps in research there is enough evidence to establish more tailored health promotion measures for veterinarians.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/22/3199veterinariansstresssystematic reviewsuicidebio-psycho-social model
spellingShingle Birgit Ursula Stetina
Christine Krouzecky
Reviewing a Decade of Change for Veterinarians: Past, Present and Gaps in Researching Stress, Coping and Mental Health Risks
Animals
veterinarians
stress
systematic review
suicide
bio-psycho-social model
title Reviewing a Decade of Change for Veterinarians: Past, Present and Gaps in Researching Stress, Coping and Mental Health Risks
title_full Reviewing a Decade of Change for Veterinarians: Past, Present and Gaps in Researching Stress, Coping and Mental Health Risks
title_fullStr Reviewing a Decade of Change for Veterinarians: Past, Present and Gaps in Researching Stress, Coping and Mental Health Risks
title_full_unstemmed Reviewing a Decade of Change for Veterinarians: Past, Present and Gaps in Researching Stress, Coping and Mental Health Risks
title_short Reviewing a Decade of Change for Veterinarians: Past, Present and Gaps in Researching Stress, Coping and Mental Health Risks
title_sort reviewing a decade of change for veterinarians past present and gaps in researching stress coping and mental health risks
topic veterinarians
stress
systematic review
suicide
bio-psycho-social model
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/22/3199
work_keys_str_mv AT birgitursulastetina reviewingadecadeofchangeforveterinarianspastpresentandgapsinresearchingstresscopingandmentalhealthrisks
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