title: Is there a risk profile for the vulnerable junior doctor?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mental ill health is prevalent among doctors, especially those in the early stages of postgraduate training. However, a paucity of research has examined factors predictive of psychological distress in this population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report the findings from a multi-centre survey of mental health among junior doctors in Ireland, and assess the extent to which moderator variables (e.g., age, academic performance, nationality, etc.) alter the levels of psychological distress caused by internship.
  
  
  METHODS
  An online, anonymous, questionnaire was distributed to all interns in the Republic of Ireland in January 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 270 interns responded to the survey (45.0 % response rate), with 48.5 % of the respondents having a score indicative of psychological distress. A regression model found that nationality, academic performance, intern training network, rating of work stressors, home stressors, and work-life balance were associated with differing levels of mental health as measured by the General Health Questionnaire-12.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need to consider moderator variables when examining mental health in healthcare populations to avoid drawing overly simplistic conclusions. Interns in Ireland reported particularly high levels of psychological distress compared to other studies of mental health among healthcare populations.
authors.affiliation: West North West Intern Training Network, Saolta University Health Care Group, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.affiliation: Operations Research Department, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, 93943, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buttrey
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin School of Medicine and Medical Science, Coombe Family Practice, Dolphin's Barn Street, Dublin 8, Ireland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carberry
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lydon
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. paul.oconnor@nuigalway.ie.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007494:Ireland; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D008603:Mental Health / Q000639:trends*; D010820:Physicians; D012306:Risk; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Distress; Interns; Junior doctor; Mental health; Wellbeing