Resilience in rural health system

Abstract

Introduction

Current literature emphasises the importance of resilience in health care. Studies have shown that lack of resilience not only leads to adverse clinical outcomes but is also associated with burnout and long-term stress in clinicians. Resource-limited rural settings in the United States often impose unique stressors, and thus, it is critical to examine resilience of health care providers practicing rural medicine.

Methods

An anonymous REDCap survey was completed by medical students, residents and attending physicians between 7 April 2021 and 18 May 2022. The primary outcome of resilience was measured by the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 10 (CD-RISC-10^©).

Results

Survey takers scored moderately on the resilience scale (30.64 on a 40-point scale). The first quartile of respondents scored between 0 and 28; the second quartile scored between 29 and 30; the third quartile scored between 31 and 35; the fourth quartile scored between 36 and 40. Age and years of service were not correlated with resilience. However, survey takers who had been exposed to trauma informed care scored significantly higher on the resilience scale (32.37 vs. 28.85, p = 0.021). The level of resilience when compared by profession was found to be comparable among medical students, residents and attending physicians.

Conclusion

Individuals scoring in the first two quartiles of the CD-RISC-10^© perhaps indicate need for support as they are having difficulty coping with stress. Health care organisations should provide resilience training to support the wellness and mental health of their staff. Moreover, dedicated efforts should be made toward creating trauma-informed health care organisations as exposure to the topic of trauma informed care had a significant positive impact on resilience.