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Healthcare
Special Issues
Health and Well-Being in Veterinary Medicine
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Health and Well-Being in Veterinary Medicine

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 February 2026 | Viewed by 606

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Beatrice Thielmann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
Interests: mental health; physical health; subjective and objective stress analysis; occupational medicine; prevention
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Irina Böckelmann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Occupational Medicine, Medical Faculty, Otto von Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
Interests: veterinary medicine; mental health; psychophysiology, subjective and objective analysis of stress; occupational medicine; prevention

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Working in veterinary medicine presents unique challenges to the mental and physical health of professionals. Veterinarians and their teams are often under high emotional pressure, work overtime, and are responsible for the welfare of both animals and their owners. These stresses can have long-term effects on their well-being and health. Studies also show a high prevalence of depression and suicide among veterinarians, underlining the urgency of this issue.

This Special Issue of MDPI’s Healthcare is dedicated to the comprehensive exploration of the mental and physical health of veterinarians and veterinary facility staff. We invite researchers and professionals to submit original research, reviews, and case studies on this topic.

This Special Issue aims to identify practical solutions and new approaches to improve the lives of those dedicated to animal health. All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer review process to ensure scientific quality and relevance.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Burnout, stress coping and resilience;
  • Stress and mental health;
  • Ergonomic work design;
  • Physical health;
  • Occupational diseases;  
  • Strategies to improve well-being in veterinary teams;
  • The impact of work environment and safety culture. 

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Beatrice Thielmann
Prof. Dr. Irina Böckelmann
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mental health
  • physical health
  • burnout
  • resilience
  • stress management
  • workload
  • veterinary medicine
  • ergonomics
  • prevention
  • work environment

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

30 pages, 347 KiB  
Article
Study-Related Predictors for Depression, Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Risk in German Veterinary Medical Students
by Nadine Schunter, Mahtab Bahramsoltani, Luise Böhler and Heide Glaesmer
Healthcare 2025, 13(8), 938; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13080938 - 19 Apr 2025
Viewed by 183
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Compared to the general population in Germany, higher risks for depression, suicidal ideation and suicide risk have been reported for German veterinary students. This study assessed various demographic and study-related risk factors for depression, suicidal ideation and suicide risk for the [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Compared to the general population in Germany, higher risks for depression, suicidal ideation and suicide risk have been reported for German veterinary students. This study assessed various demographic and study-related risk factors for depression, suicidal ideation and suicide risk for the first time. Methods: An online survey was conducted among German veterinary students to determine demographic and study-related characteristics, study conditions, depression, suicidal ideation, suicide risk, Effort–Reward Imbalance (ERI student version) and motivation and achievement goals (Achievement Goal Inventory) during studies. Data of 913 German veterinary students (90.7% female) aged 18 to 46 years (mean age 23.6 years) were analyzed (response rate 14.3%). Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted, with depression, suicidal ideation and suicide risk as dependent variables and demographic as well as study-related factors as independent variables. Results: With the factors used, the variance explanation was highest for depression, followed by suicidal ideation and suicide risk. Low reward and high overcommitment were found to be the most important predictors for depression, suicidal ideation and suicide risk. Significant associations with depression, suicidal ideation and suicide risk were also revealed for time of study choice, general university entrance qualification grade, learning in a learning group, perceived peer competition and performance expectation from lecturers, as well as transparency of study requirements and transparency of examination requirements. Conclusions: The results of this study provide indications for the development of suitable prevention and intervention measures at veterinary medical schools to strengthen the mental health of veterinary students in Germany. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health and Well-Being in Veterinary Medicine)
22 pages, 1002 KiB  
Article
Psychological Well-Being, Substance Use, and Internet Consumption Among Students and Teaching Staff of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine: Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Well-Being and Dissatisfaction
by Irina Hernández-Trujillo, Elisa Hernández-Álvarez, Jaime Rojas-Hernández, Lucas F. Borkel, Tobias Fernández-Borkel, Domingo J. Quintana-Hernández and Luis Alberto Henríquez-Hernández
Healthcare 2025, 13(8), 918; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13080918 - 16 Apr 2025
Viewed by 290
Abstract
Background: Veterinary students experience high levels of mental health issues. Objectives: To analyze substance use, internet consumption, and mental health factors among students and academic staff of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, identifying [...] Read more.
Background: Veterinary students experience high levels of mental health issues. Objectives: To analyze substance use, internet consumption, and mental health factors among students and academic staff of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, identifying factors associated with well-being and dissatisfaction. Methods: A total of 226 respondents participated, including 177 students (78.3%) and 49 staff members (21.7%). Data were collected between 30 October 2024 and 14 January 2025 using an adapted EDADES-based survey assessing substance use (alcohol, tobacco, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDSs), anxiolytics, and illicit drugs), internet habits, and psychological well-being among participants. Binary logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with dissatisfaction. Results: Students exhibited higher binge drinking rates, greater ENDS consumption, and more problematic internet use than staff. Significant gender differences were observed, with females reporting greater emotional distress and a higher need for psychological support. Water pipe use (OR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.45–5.38), anxiolytic consumption (OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.08–4.92), and excessive internet use (OR = 4.83, 95% CI = 1.66–14.1) were associated with lower overall satisfaction. Age was inversely associated with dissatisfaction (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.94–0.98), and females were significantly more likely to report dissatisfaction (OR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.45–5.38). Conclusions: Veterinary students exhibited higher psychological distress than teaching staff. Implementing targeted interventions to address substance use and internet habits is needed in order to enhance psychological well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health and Well-Being in Veterinary Medicine)
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