Veterinarians younger than 45 years old are more likely to experience serious psychological distress, according to a new survey conducted in collaboration with the American Veterinary Medical Association and Merck Animal Health. According to the Merck Animal Health Veterinary Wellbeing Study, younger veterinarians are more affected by the financial and emotional stresses of professional veterinary life, compared to older male veterinarians and individuals in the general population.
Source: AGDAILY February 12, 2018.
Only half of veterinarians with serious psychological distress are seeking help – creating a big mental health treatment gap. This is compounded by the fact that only few employers offer employee assistance programs.
INSIGHTS: This survey showed that just 24 percent of veterinarians 34 years old and younger endorse their profession, compared to 62 percent of those 65 years old and older. Further studies over time may be able to pinpoint ways to reverse this trend.