A Study of Perceived Social Support and Self-Esteem Among Medical Professionals

Social support is most important in predicting the physical health and well-being, ranging from childhood to older adults. Social support influences the level of self-esteem of an individual. This important dimension of sustenance is considered as a specific requirement for taxing jobs, medical profession being one of them. During their encounters with patients/caregivers, healthcare team members and hospital management and their coping is the concern of the study. The objective of this study was to evaluate perceived social support and self-esteem among medical professionals. Evaluations of the relationships between perceived social support and self-esteem among medical professionals was done. The respondents completed a questionnaire including demographic information, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and Rosenberg's self-esteem scale. Correlation and t-test analyses were conducted. Perceived social support and self esteem positively correlated among medical professionals. Further, perceived social support and self esteem in medical professionals, with respect to their gender did not differ significantly but regarding their employment sector they differed significantly. Medical educators should provide means to ameliorate social support, so as to increase or maintain self esteem in the long term.