Date of Award

12-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc)

Department

Department of Physician Assistant Medicine

First Advisor

Jason Brumitt

Abstract

Practicing gratitude has been shown to have a positive effect on both the mental and physical health of the general population and, thus, has been proposed as a means to improve the mental health of HCWs.Practicing gratitude can be defined as appreciating the things one has in life. Self-reflecting on things one is grateful for, listing good things that occurred throughout one’s day, journaling work events one is grateful for, and writing letters to thank someone are ways in which gratitude may be practiced. Existing research suggests that practicing gratitude is associated with improved sleep, blood pressure, and glycemic control, as well as decreased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, as assessed in the general population.

The current exacerbation of poor mental health amongst HCWs accentuates the need to develop interventions that address the current state of HCWs’ mental health, mitigate progression of poor mental health, and prevent the development of poor mental health in both current and future HCWs. Since gratitude interventions tend to be low in cost and flexible to fit various lifestyles, practicing gratitude can be a practical means of improving the mental health of HCWs.9 This scoping review aims to explore and evaluate the existing literature to determine the effect of gratitude on the mental health of HCWs as measured by burnout and depression.

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