SAN MATEO, Calif., Nov. 28, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Feeling tired or not sleeping through the night? It might be stress and it could be making you sick according to nearly 500 doctors who participated in a survey by medical software developer Epocrates, Inc. Survey participants identified restless nights and fatigue as the two most common symptoms of stress. Physicians also shared their opinions on the leading causes of stress, stress management and even what they consider to be the most stressful professions.
Patients should talk to their doctors about stress as it may be causing more distress than they may realize. The majority of physicians surveyed believe their patients' ailments are often triggered or compounded by stress yet only 20 percent of doctors routinely discuss stress levels during examinations. However, nearly half of physicians will bring up the topic if they see signs or symptoms often related to stress.
Physicians are not immune to stress either with more than 50 percent feeling their job is more stressful today than five years ago. When asked about professional stress triggers, 65 percent of physicians ranked administrative paper work as the most stressful aspect of practicing medicine. They also shared anxiety about making a mistake and keeping up to date on medical news and advancements. To address these concerns and reduce work-related stress, many physicians report turning to technologies such as online clinical resources and mobile medical references, both available by Epocrates.
Other notable survey findings include:
-- While 88 percent recommend exercise to their patients as a way to
reduce stress, only 60 percent use it as an outlet themselves.
-- Physicians also shared other ways in which they relieve stress,
including talking with friends or family (54 percent), watching
television or a movie (54 percent), or even surfing the Internet
(41 percent).
-- While physicians view their job is stressful, many believe police
officers (45 percent) and firefighters (37 percent) have higher-
stress jobs. In addition, more than one-third also thought being a
stockbroker (32 percent) and a politician (33 percent) is more
stressful than being a physician.
Editor's note: To speak with a physician about stress-related topics or request the full survey results, please contact Erica Sniad Morgenstern at pr@epocrates.com.
ABOUT EPOCRATES, INC.
San Mateo, Calif.-based Epocrates is transforming the practice of medicine by developing innovative mobile software and web-based solutions that support clinical decisions at the point of care. More than 500,000 healthcare professionals, including more than one in four U.S. physicians, actively use Epocrates' medical software to improve patient safety, avoid drug interactions and save time. The company's services also enable communication between its users and healthcare organizations such as pharmaceutical manufacturers, government agencies and market research firms. For more information about Epocrates, please visit http://www.epocrates.com/company.