PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF HARASSMENT AMONG US WOMEN PHYSICIANS

Background: Despite concerns about its prevalence and ramifications, h arassment has not been well quantified among physicians. Previous publ ished studies have been small, have surveyed only I site or a convenie nce sample, and have suffered from selection bias. Methods: Our databa se is the Women Physicians' Health Study, a large (4501 respondents; r esponse rate, 59%), nationally distributed questionnaire study. We ana lyzed responses concerning gender-based and sexual harassment. Results : Overall, 47.7% of women physicians reported ever experiencing gender -based harassment, and 36.9% reported sexual harassment. Harassment wa s more common while in medical school (31% for gender-based and 20% fo r sexual harassment) or during internship, residency, or fellowship (2 9% for gender-based and 19% for sexual harassment) than in practice (2 5% for gender-based and 11% for sexual harassment). Respondents more l ikely to report gender-based harassment were physicians who were now d ivorced or separated and those specializing in historically male speci alties, whereas those of Asian and other (nonwhite, nonblack, non-Asia n, non-Hispanic) ethnicity, those living in the East, and those self-c haracterized as politically very conservative were less likely to repo rt gender-based harassment. Being younger, born in the United States, or divorced or separated were correlated with reporting ever experienc ing sexual harassment; those who were Asian or who were currently work ing in group or government settings were less likely to report it. Tho se who felt: in control of their work environments, were satisfied wit h their careers, and would choose again to become physicians reported lower prevalences of ever experiencing harassment. Those with historie s of depression or suicide attempts were more likely to report ever ha ving been harassed. Conclusions: Women physicians commonly perceive th at they have been harassed. Experiences of and sensitivity to harassme nt differ among individuals, and there may be substantial professional and personal consequences of harassment. Since reported rates of sexu al harassment are higher among younger physicians, the situation may n ot be improving.