Understanding peer support: a qualitative interview study of doctors one year after seeking support
Abstract Background Doctors’ health is of importance for the quality and development of health care and to doctors themselves. As doctors are hesitant to seek medical treatment, peer support services, with an alleged lower threshold for seeking help, is provided in many countries. Peer support servi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09312-y |
| _version_ | 1797853960962310144 |
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| author | Ingrid Marie Taxt Horne Frode Veggeland Fredrik Bååthe Christina Drewes Karin Isaksson Rø |
| author_facet | Ingrid Marie Taxt Horne Frode Veggeland Fredrik Bååthe Christina Drewes Karin Isaksson Rø |
| author_sort | Ingrid Marie Taxt Horne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Doctors’ health is of importance for the quality and development of health care and to doctors themselves. As doctors are hesitant to seek medical treatment, peer support services, with an alleged lower threshold for seeking help, is provided in many countries. Peer support services may be the first place to which doctors turn when they search for support and advice relating to their own health and private or professional well-being. This paper explores how doctors perceive the peer support service and how it can meet their needs. Materials and methods Twelve doctors were interviewed a year after attending a peer support service which is accessible to all doctors in Norway. The qualitative, semi-structured interviews took place by on-line video meetings or over the phone (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) during 2020 and were audiotaped. Analysis was data-driven, and systematic text condensation was used as strategy for the qualitative analysis. The empirical material was further interpreted with the use of theories of organizational culture by Edgar Schein. Results The doctors sought peer support due to a range of different needs including both occupational and personal challenges. They attended peer support to engage in dialogue with a fellow doctor outside of the workplace, some were in search of a combination of dialogue and mental health care. The doctors wanted peer support to have a different quality from that of a regular doctor/patient appointment. The doctors expressed they needed and got psychological safety and an open conversation in a flexible and informal setting. Some of these qualities are related to the formal structure of the service, whereas others are based on the way the service is practised. Conclusions Peer support seems to provide psychological safety through its flexible, informal, and confidential characteristics. The service thus offers doctors in need of support a valued and suitable space that is clearly distinct from a doctor/patient relationship. The doctors’ needs are met to a high extent by the peer-support service, through such conditions that the doctors experience as beneficial. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:59:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ff33ecec9ad943c18231fd9c21f94642 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:59:14Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-ff33ecec9ad943c18231fd9c21f946422023-04-03T05:21:26ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632023-04-0123111210.1186/s12913-023-09312-yUnderstanding peer support: a qualitative interview study of doctors one year after seeking supportIngrid Marie Taxt Horne0Frode Veggeland1Fredrik Bååthe2Christina Drewes3Karin Isaksson Rø4Research Institute Modum BadDepartment of Organisation, Leadership and Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (HINN)Institute for Studies of the Medical ProfessionHealth Department, County Governor of TrøndelagInstitute for Studies of the Medical ProfessionAbstract Background Doctors’ health is of importance for the quality and development of health care and to doctors themselves. As doctors are hesitant to seek medical treatment, peer support services, with an alleged lower threshold for seeking help, is provided in many countries. Peer support services may be the first place to which doctors turn when they search for support and advice relating to their own health and private or professional well-being. This paper explores how doctors perceive the peer support service and how it can meet their needs. Materials and methods Twelve doctors were interviewed a year after attending a peer support service which is accessible to all doctors in Norway. The qualitative, semi-structured interviews took place by on-line video meetings or over the phone (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) during 2020 and were audiotaped. Analysis was data-driven, and systematic text condensation was used as strategy for the qualitative analysis. The empirical material was further interpreted with the use of theories of organizational culture by Edgar Schein. Results The doctors sought peer support due to a range of different needs including both occupational and personal challenges. They attended peer support to engage in dialogue with a fellow doctor outside of the workplace, some were in search of a combination of dialogue and mental health care. The doctors wanted peer support to have a different quality from that of a regular doctor/patient appointment. The doctors expressed they needed and got psychological safety and an open conversation in a flexible and informal setting. Some of these qualities are related to the formal structure of the service, whereas others are based on the way the service is practised. Conclusions Peer support seems to provide psychological safety through its flexible, informal, and confidential characteristics. The service thus offers doctors in need of support a valued and suitable space that is clearly distinct from a doctor/patient relationship. The doctors’ needs are met to a high extent by the peer-support service, through such conditions that the doctors experience as beneficial.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09312-yDoctor healthQualitative researchHealth services researchHealth workforcePeer support |
| spellingShingle | Ingrid Marie Taxt Horne Frode Veggeland Fredrik Bååthe Christina Drewes Karin Isaksson Rø Understanding peer support: a qualitative interview study of doctors one year after seeking support BMC Health Services Research Doctor health Qualitative research Health services research Health workforce Peer support |
| title | Understanding peer support: a qualitative interview study of doctors one year after seeking support |
| title_full | Understanding peer support: a qualitative interview study of doctors one year after seeking support |
| title_fullStr | Understanding peer support: a qualitative interview study of doctors one year after seeking support |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding peer support: a qualitative interview study of doctors one year after seeking support |
| title_short | Understanding peer support: a qualitative interview study of doctors one year after seeking support |
| title_sort | understanding peer support a qualitative interview study of doctors one year after seeking support |
| topic | Doctor health Qualitative research Health services research Health workforce Peer support |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09312-y |
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