Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depression Among Emergency Physicians in South Korea: Findings from the 2025 Korean Emergency Physician Survey

TL;DR

This study finds that 15% of South Korean emergency physicians show depressive symptoms, linked to work stress, poor sleep, and lack of social support.

Contribution

The study identifies specific psychosocial and lifestyle factors associated with depression among emergency physicians in South Korea.

Findings

14.9% of surveyed emergency physicians screened positive for depressive symptoms.

Depression was associated with perceived work burdens, poor sleep quality, and verbal abuse at work.

Protective factors included being married, better sleep, and higher psychosocial wellness scores.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Emergency physicians practice in high-pressure environments and face occupational stressors that may affect their mental health. This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of depression among emergency physicians in South Korea and examined environmental, sociolegal, and individual factors associated with depressive symptoms in the post-pandemic period. Materials and Methods: This nationwide cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2025 Korean Emergency Physician Survey. Screening positive for depressive symptoms was defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score ≥ 10, indicating moderate-to-severe depressive symptom severity. Measures included the PHQ-9, the Korean Epworth Sleepiness Scale (KESS), and the Adult APGAR, a brief self-administered instrument assessing overall wellness. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with depression after adjusting for demographic, clinical, and work-related variables. Results: Of the 1050 physicians who responded (response rate: 37.5%), 743 emergency physicians completed the PHQ-9 section (completion rate: 70.8%; mean age, 43.2 ± 7.78 years; 86.5% male), and 111 (14.9%) screened positive for depressive symptoms. Objective workload indicators, including total work hours and number of night shifts, did not differ between physicians with and without depression. However, emergency physicians screening positive for depression reported higher perceived burdens related to staffing shortages and patient-related stressors. Protective factors included being married (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08–0.58), longer sleep duration (AOR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.50–0.86), better sleep quality (AOR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.27–0.74), fixed mealtimes (AOR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.39–0.93), and higher Adult APGAR scores (AOR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.60–0.86). Factors associated with increased odds of depression included a history of cancer (AOR, 14.63, 95% CI, 2.53–84.61), current alcohol consumption (AOR, 2.54, 95% CI, 1.14–5.68), daytime sleepiness (AOR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04–1.31), and more frequent verbal abuse during the previous 12 months (AOR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.08–1.44). Conclusions: Depression was prevalent and was associated with perceived work burden, sleep health, lifestyle regularity, and psychosocial factors. Interventions should address sleep quality, workplace safety, and social support.

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