#health care workers

Children inspired by Captain Tom to give back to health care workers

As the world remembers Captain Sir Tom Moore, who died this week, NBC News’ Molly Hunter meets some of the kids who were inspired to give back to front-line workers after his fundraising efforts.

Mental Health and Health Care Workers

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns about the mental health of physicians, nurses, trainees and medical school students were rising. Rates of burnout, depression, substance abuse and suicide were increasing; access to or use of therapeutic resources was not.

In a new paper, published this month in Academic Medicine, researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine surveyed health care professionals about their mental health status and experiences or perceptions of mental health care.

On average, respondents reported mild depression, with more than 42 percent describing moderate depression. A little over 15 percent reported general suicide risk factors in the preceding two weeks; 9.8 percent had suicide thoughts; 3.9 percent made suicide plans and 1.5 percent took actions. Just over 7 percent of respondents said they had attempted suicide in their lives.

Perceived stigma related to seeking mental health services, primarily concerns about privacy, was the largest barrier to persons seeking help.

— Scott LaFee

If you would like immediate help, please call 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). Through this toll-free phone number, The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers a network of crisis centers across the country. These centers staff their lines with people who are trained to listen and offer support to people in emotional crisis. If you are in immediate medical crisis, please call 911.