A new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe has revealed an alarming mental health crisis among healthcare professionals across the continent. The study, published on Friday, October 10, found that one in three doctors and nurses in Europe are suffering from depression or anxiety at a rate five times higher than that of the general population.
WHO Europe’s director, Dr. Hans Kluge, described the findings as a “health security crisis threatening the integrity of our health systems.” He expressed grave concern over the scale of distress, noting that “more than one in ten have thought about ending their lives or hurting themselves. This is an unacceptable burden on those who care for us.”
The study analyzed responses from 90,000 healthcare workers across 29 European countries and found that mental health challenges are closely tied to poor working conditions. Those exposed to violence, long hours, or night shifts were significantly more likely to experience depression and anxiety.
Alarmingly, a third of doctors and nurses said they had faced bullying or violent threats at work in the past year, while 10 percent reported incidents of physical violence or sexual harassment.
Workload pressure also emerged as a major factor: one in four doctors work over 50 hours per week, and many face job insecurity — with over 30% of doctors and a quarter of nurses on temporary contracts. The report also found that nurses and women doctors are more prone to depression and anxiety, while male doctors have a higher tendency toward alcohol dependency.
Regionally, Latvia and Poland recorded the highest rates of depression, with nearly half of respondents affected, while Denmark and Iceland had the lowest, at about 15%.
The WHO report calls for urgent reforms, including a zero-tolerance policy for violence and harassment, reduced overtime culture, and better access to mental health support for healthcare professionals.
Dr. Kluge warned that these changes are critical as Europe faces a looming shortage of nearly one million health workers by 2030. “We cannot afford to lose them to burnout, despair, or violence,” he emphasized.
