Abstract
Objective
To determine whether state medical licensure application questions (MLAQs) about mental
health are related to physicians' reluctance to seek help for a mental health condition
because of concerns about repercussions to their medical licensure.
Methods
In 2016, we collected initial and renewal medical licensure application forms from
50 states and the District of Columbia. We coded MLAQs related to physicians' mental
health as “consistent” if they inquired only about current impairment from a mental health condition or did not ask about mental
health conditions. We obtained data on care-seeking attitudes for a mental health
problem from a nationally representative convenience sample of 5829 physicians who
completed a survey between August 28, 2014, and October 6, 2014. Analyses explored
relationships between state of employment, MLAQs, and physicians' reluctance to seek
formal medical care for treatment of a mental health condition because of concerns
about repercussions to their medical licensure.
Results
We obtained initial licensure applications from 51 of 51 (100%) and renewal applications
from 48 of 51 (94.1%) medical licensing boards. Only one-third of states currently
have MLAQs about mental health on their initial and renewal application forms that
are considered consistent. Nearly 40% of physicians (2325 of 5829) reported that they
would be reluctant to seek formal medical care for treatment of a mental health condition
because of concerns about repercussions to their medical licensure. Physicians working
in a state in which neither the initial nor the renewal application was consistent
were more likely to be reluctant to seek help (odds ratio, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.07-1.37;
P=.002 vs both applications consistent).
Conclusion
Our findings support that MLAQs regarding mental health conditions present a barrier
to physicians seeking help.
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Article Info
Footnotes
T.D.S. is currently affiliated with Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
Grant Support: Funding for this work was provided by the Mayo Clinic Department of Medicine Program on Physician Well-Being.
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
