title: A survey of physicians' perceptions of their health care needs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physicians may face unique challenges in accessing health care and managing their own health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate physicians' perceptions of their health care needs and desired services.
  
  
  METHODS
  A written survey, distributed and collected anonymously among attendees at a large primary care continuing medical education conference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey was given to 346 physicians and 141 (41%) responded. The majority of physicians (53%) reported having difficulty accessing health care and reverting to self-diagnosis and treatment (63%). Over 83% reported having or knowing a colleague who had a career-threatening illness and 42% had experienced concern about a colleague's ability to practise safely.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians as an occupational group have challenges in accessing health care, very commonly suffer career-limiting illnesses and revert to self-diagnosis and treatment. Programmes tailored to providing health care to physicians are needed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive, Occupational, and Aerospace Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. steffen.mark@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Steffen
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive, Occupational, and Aerospace Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive, Occupational, and Aerospace Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Benkhadra
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive, Occupational, and Aerospace Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Molella
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive, Occupational, and Aerospace Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Newcomb
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive, Occupational, and Aerospace Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Murad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Cross-sectional study; health care; physician’s health; survey.