Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore the association between exercise habits and the prevalence of anxiety and depression among family medicine physicians and aimed to examine the relationship between exercise and anxiety and depression among family medicine physicians.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that employed a random sampling technique to select 150 family medicine physicians from the Ministry of Health, other governmental, and private hospitals. Inclusion criteria encompassed physicians aged 22-60 years with a minimum of 1 year of practice. Data collection utilized a questionnaire comprising demographic details, the rapid assessment of physical activity, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
Results: Demographic analysis revealed a balanced distribution of participants across various factors. While 60.7% exhibited a normal level of anxiety, 21.3% showed borderline abnormal levels, and 18.0% were classified as abnormal. The prevalence of depression indicated that 74.7% had a normal level, 16.7% exhibited borderline abnormal levels, and 8.7% showed abnormal levels. Physical activity analysis revealed that 76.7% had suboptimal physical activity. Significant associations were found between anxiety levels and gender (p-value = 0.007) and region (p-value = 0.004). Depression levels were significantly associated with region (p-value = 0.004) and smoking status (p-value = 0.001). Residents exhibited significantly higher suboptimal physical activity compared to specialists and consultants (p-value = 0.038).
Conclusion: The study underscores the crucial role of exercise in improving mental health among family medicine physicians. The prevalence of anxiety and depression, especially among those with suboptimal physical activity, however, non-significant, suggested a potential link between exercise habits and mental well-being.

Key words: Exercise, anxiety, depression, family medicine physicians, Saudi Arabia.