Medical residents who suffer from depression are likely to make up to six times as many medication errors than their colleagues who are not depressed, research published earlier this month in the British Journal shows.

Researchers at the Harvard Medical School set out to explore a possible link between medical residents suffering either from depression or burnout and the medication errors they made. Their study included 123 pediatric residents at three children's hospitals in the United States.

The study’s authors found that 20 percent of the residents were depressed and 74 percent were burned out. A link was found between the residents’ depression and a higher number of medication errors, while no link appeared to exist between burnout and errors, the Washington Post reports.

Of the 45 medication mistakes made during the study period, medical residents who were depressed accounted for 6.2 times more errors than their colleagues who were not depressed.

While noting that they collected the data before work hour limits were implemented for medical residents in the U. S., the authors emphasize that the high burnout rate is nevertheless alarming.

Considering that an estimated 98,000 patients die each year due to medication errors, improvement in the training conditions of doctors seems to be necessary, the authors wrote.

Most medication errors are attributed to the stress of resident training, lack of sleep and insufficient free time, the researchers said. They also emphasized the need for further research to be conducted on the relation between residents’ depression and burnout and their ability to ensure patient safety.

Researchers from the University of Aberdeen commented in an accompanying editorial that the study does not present a definitive situation of the relation between medication errors and depression and burnout and that larger and better-designed studies are needed.

For more details, visit www.bmj.com.