AB207. 187. Physical activity in medical professionals—trends and tendencies (PAMP T&T)

Background: This study aims to identify trends and tendencies in physical activity among medical professionals. Several studies have been carried out investigating work-life balance among medical professionals, and the impact of this on mental and physical health, revealing that doctors are at high risk of adverse effects on their health as a consequence of long working hours and high stress levels at work. Regularly partaking in exercise has been proven to lower stress levels and have a positive impact on overall health.2 This survey aims to identify perceived barriers to physical activity that doctors feel their profession poses.

Methods: A survey was distributed to doctors of various levels of training and specialty within one hospital to collect data on habits and attitudes towards exercise in that population, and how these relate to their profession. Responses were analysed to identify any trends and tendencies.

Results: Provisional results reveal that a low proportion of medical professionals participate in organised sports (16% of respondents), despite most having played one or more in the past. 92% of respondents had given up these activities early in their career, stating “unpredictable hours” as the number one reason for discontinuing a sport or other activity. Just under half of respondents (47%) stated that they were achieving their recommended weekly target for physical activity, as per WHO guidelines. The majority of respondents felt that Medicine as a career was worse than other professions for enabling them to engage in pastimes outside of work.

Conclusions: From these results we can infer that due to factors such as unpredictable working hours and shift work, medical professionals feel they are less likely to engage in physical activity, thereby directly putting their mental & physical health at risk. We hope to collect and analyse more data in the coming weeks to achieve a larger sample population and thereby attain a more accurate representation of this group, to bring awareness to the need for a work environment that supports the health and wellbeing of its employees.

Keywords: Physical; activity; medicine; profession; levels