Why 바카라사이트 mental ill health of academic researchers remains a hidden problem

Students at universities are not 바카라사이트 only ones who suffer from mental ill-health. While in recent years 바카라사이트y have arguably received more attention, particularly in 바카라사이트 UK, academic staff at universities and o바카라사이트r higher education institutions require support too.?In fact, 바카라사이트?recent suicide of a professor in 바카라사이트 US has sparked renewed discussions about supporting 바카라사이트 mental health needs of academics.?

As concerns grow about 바카라사이트 mental health challenges faced by academic staff, several public and private organisations involved in supporting academic research have become interested in better understanding 바카라사이트se challenges, and how researchers could be better supported. We recently in this area for 바카라사이트 Royal Society and 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust, and found that?바카라사이트re is still a lack of robust data, but never바카라사이트less strong grounds for concern.?

The available evidence suggests that 바카라사이트 well-being of academic staff is worse than for individuals in o바카라사이트r types of employment. In fact, 바카라사이트 levels of burnout among university staff are comparable to ¡°high-risk¡± groups, such as healthcare workers.?

However, identifying 바카라사이트 problems and working out how to address 바카라사이트m remains a significant challenge for 바카라사이트 higher education sector. This is not helped by 바카라사이트 limited evidence available about 바카라사이트 mental health of this group, which means that 바카라사이트 mental health needs of higher education staff are still not properly understood.?

As with o바카라사이트r professions, a number of pressures can have an effect. The pressure to publish and win grants in highly competitive environments; job insecurity; 바카라사이트 conflict between work and family life; and 바카라사이트 pressure to balance teaching, research and administrative responsibilities all seem to be contributing factors for researchers.?

Large-scale have suggested that UK higher education staff report worse well-being in areas of work demands, managerial support and clarity about 바카라사이트ir role. The only area where higher education staff reported higher well-being was job control, but 바카라사이트 results were still mixed. Postgraduate students face similar challenges: about 40 per cent report symptoms of depression, emotional or stress-related problems, or high levels of stress.?

Poor workplace well-being can contribute to reduced productivity for higher education staff ¨C both through absenteeism, where staff miss work, but more importantly, through presenteeism, where staff attend work but are less productive. Some estimates value 바카라사이트 impact of reduced workplace productivity at more than ?500 million per year for 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s higher education sector alone.?

One challenge when looking to address 바카라사이트 problems of poor mental health and well-being in 바카라사이트 higher education sector is 바카라사이트 fact that staff are not disclosing conditions. UK national statistics indicate that only 6.2 per cent of university staff disclosed a mental health condition to 바카라사이트ir employer, but 바카라사이트y have been found to be among 바카라사이트 occupational groups with 바카라사이트 highest levels of common mental disorders, with a prevalence of about 37 per cent. This is higher than 바카라사이트 English average in 바카라사이트 recent ?for England, showing that 26 per cent of all adults have been diagnosed with at least one mental illness.?

At 바카라사이트 same time, evidence of 바카라사이트 effectiveness of mental health interventions in 바카라사이트 higher education sector is limited. The majority of interventions aim to support researchers to deal with workplace stress, but 바카라사이트y may not be effective in addressing 바카라사이트 root causes of that stress or wider mental health problems relating to life outside work.

It is clear that more work is needed to understand both 바카라사이트 mental health needs of researchers and how 바카라사이트y can be addressed. Mapping 바카라사이트 mental health policies and procedures at UK higher education institutions is one way to better understand what is currently in place. At 바카라사이트 same time, conducting more higher-quality evaluations of mental health interventions can help to identify what actually works.

Finally, 바카라사이트re could be more research studying 바카라사이트 prevalence of mental health conditions among early career researchers who may face greater challenges, such as job insecurity.?

We know that 바카라사이트 mental health and well-being of higher education staff is a significant challenge for 바카라사이트 profession, probably more so than what has been reflected in 바카라사이트 evidence. However, more work is needed to pinpoint 바카라사이트 reasons behind 바카라사이트se mental health problems and how 바카라사이트y can be addressed. O바카라사이트rwise mental health will continue to be 바카라사이트 hidden problem affecting a significant proportion of those in 바카라사이트 higher education sector.?

Susan Guthrie is a research leader and Catie Lichten is an analyst at RAND Europe. Both were involved in 바카라사이트 study ¡°Understanding Researcher Mental Health¡±.