A new report published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that many physicians avoid seeking mental health treatment due to concerns about repercussions to their medical licensure.
The research showed that licensing requirements in many states include questions about past mental health treatments or diagnoses, with the implication that they may limit a physician’s right to practice medicine.
The investigators examined licensing documents for physicians in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., as well as renewal applications from 48 states. They also collected data in a national survey of more than 5,800 physicians, including attitudes about seeking mental healthcare. Nearly 40% of respondents said they would hesitate to seek professional help for a mental health condition because they feared doing so could have negative impacts on their medical license.