14% of physicians say they've had alcohol or drugs on the job

Among physicians, the added mental health struggles are leading to more substance issues. Unfortunately, patient care is likely to be impacted due to drinking or using substances on the job and as a result of the overall health of physicians. Previous studies have revealed that burnout can lead to worse patient outcomes, and the issue has been long-standing across the industry. 

“The well-being and mental health of healthcare workers has been dramatically impacted by the pandemic, with many of them seeing more pain and death than ever before,” Noah Nordheimer, founder & CEO of APN, said in a statement. “This frequency and  intensity of exposure is causing an unprecedented amount of trauma and stress, leading to high levels of burnout. The behavioral healthcare industry has been slow to innovate to meet the growing need for mental healthcare, oftentimes treating it as an accessory to healthcare. We must put mental health on par with physical health and make it a basic human right, indicator of overall health and an industry standard.”

Physicians are struggling the most among healthcare workers, according to the data, and 20% of respondents said they have checked into a rehab or detox facility in the last three months, though 14% don’t want to admit they have a problem. For physicians who won’t seek help, there are a few reasons why, including being too overworked (32%), concern that family and friends will judge them (23%), fear of having their license revoked (23%) and not knowing where to begin or how to navigate the system (20%).

The stigma of seeking help for mental health also impacts men more than women, and men are five times more likely to use their position in healthcare to acquire controlled substances than women––21% of males compared to 4% of females. From overall sentiment, men are also more impacted, with 58% of male healthcare workers reporting they are either at their breaking point or looking for a new job due to dress, burnout and trauma, compared to 45% of women. Men are also 4.5 times more likely to consume alcohol or controlled substances while at work compared to female counterparts and 2.5 times more likely to consume alcohol or controlled substances up to 12 hours before their shift.

Overall, healthcare workers are also being impacted by the current political environment influencing the healthcare industry, as 64% said the overturning of Roe v. Wade either increased their stress levels of made them feel betrayed by the country they work so hard to keep healthy.