title: Doctors admitted to a Physicians' Health Program: a comparison of self-referrals versus directed referrals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the profile of doctors with mental disorders admitted to a Physicians' Health Program (PHP) depending on their type of referral.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed 1545 medical records of doctors admitted to the Barcelona PHP (PAIMM) from 1 February 1998 to 31 December 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most doctors (83.2%) were self-referred to the programme. Patients non-self-referred were older ([Formula: see text]=55 vs [Formula: see text]=49.6 years; t=6.96, p<0.01) than those self-referred and there were more men (68.3%) than women (45.8%; OR=0.39; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.52). Self-referrals were more frequent among patients with non-addictive disorders (84.6% vs 15.4%; OR=4.52; 95% CI 3.23 to 28.45). Self-referred patients needed less inpatient admissions (16.8% vs30.9%; OR=2.22; 95% CI 1.63 to 3.01) and the length of their treatment episodes was shorter ([Formula: see text]=24.3 vs [Formula: see text] = 32.4 months; t=3.34; p<0.01). Logistic regression showed a significant model (χ(2)=67.52; df=3; p<0.001). Age, gender and diagnosis were statistically associated with type of referral to the programme.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Type of referral to a PHP may be influenced not only by sick doctors' personal traits but also by each programme's design and how it is perceived by service users. Our findings should be taken into account when designing treatment and preventive interventions for this professional group.
authors.affiliation: Integral Care Program for Sick Health Professionals, Galatea Clinic, Galatea Foundation, Col·legi Oficial de Metges de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, CIBERSAM, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: María Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Braquehais
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, CIBERSAM, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sergi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valero
authors.affiliation: Integral Care Program for Sick Health Professionals, Galatea Clinic, Galatea Foundation, Col·legi Oficial de Metges de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, CIBERSAM, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Miquel Jordi
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bel
authors.affiliation: Integral Care Program for Sick Health Professionals, Galatea Clinic, Galatea Foundation, Col·legi Oficial de Metges de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: María Cecilia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.affiliation: Integral Care Program for Sick Health Professionals, Galatea Clinic, Galatea Foundation, Col·legi Oficial de Metges de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep Lluís
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Matalí
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, CIBERSAM, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nasillo
authors.affiliation: Integral Care Program for Sick Health Professionals, Galatea Clinic, Galatea Foundation, Col·legi Oficial de Metges de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Padrós
authors.affiliation: Integral Care Program for Sick Health Professionals, Galatea Clinic, Galatea Foundation, Col·legi Oficial de Metges de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arteman
authors.affiliation: Integral Care Program for Sick Health Professionals, Galatea Clinic, Galatea Foundation, Col·legi Oficial de Metges de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, CIBERSAM, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Eugeni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bruguera
authors.affiliation: Integral Care Program for Sick Health Professionals, Galatea Clinic, Galatea Foundation, Col·legi Oficial de Metges de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, CIBERSAM, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casas
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D010820:Physicians; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Occupational & Industrial Medicine; Psychiatry; Public Health