Relationships between attitudes toward mental problems, doctor-patient relationships, and depression/anxiety levels in medical workers: A network analysis.

Objectives: At present, the doctor-patient relationship is tense. The prevalence of negative emotions, such as depression and anxiety, among healthcare workers is increasing every year. Negative attitudes of medical workers toward mental problems may aggravate the doctor-patient conflict and psychological problems of medical workers. This study aims to explore the complex network relationships between outpatient medical workers' attitudes toward mental problems, doctor-patient relationships, and their depression/anxiety levels.

Methods: A total of 578 outpatient medical staff from the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University (167 males, 411 females) completed questionnaires on their attitudes toward mental problems, doctor-patient relationships, and depression/anxiety symptoms. Network analysis was conducted separately to construct the "attitude towards mental problems-doctor-patient relationship network" and "depression-anxiety related network".

Results: The edge between "M15 (insulting words)" and "D8 (waste time)" showed the strongest strength in the "attitude towards mental problems-doctor-patient relationship network", and "M15 (insulting words)" had the highest bridge strength in the network. For the analysis of emotional variables, "P1 (anhedonia)" showed the most obvious association with "D10 (communication difficulties)" in the doctor-patient relationship and "M2 (poor quality of life)" in the psychiatric attitudes, and "P1 (anhedonia)" was the key bridge symptom in the network.

Conclusions: The "insulting words" may be an intervention target for medical workers' attitudes toward mental problems. The "anhedonia" in depression is the potential symptom that needs to be treated. Intervention targeting these variables may be beneficial to improve the mental health level of medical workers and the doctor-patient relationship.