A Canadian National Survey Study of Harassment in Surgery-Still a Long Way to Go.

OBJECTIVES: Previous literature has consistently documented harassment and discrimination in surgery. These experiences may contribute to the continuing gender inequity in surgical fields. The objective of our study was to survey Canadian surgeons and surgical trainees to gain a greater understanding of the experience of harassment across genders, career stage, and specialty. METHODS: A cross-sectional, online survey was distributed to Canadian residents, fellows, and practicing surgeons in general surgery, plastic surgery, and neurosurgery through their national society email lists and via social media posts. RESULTS: There were 194 included survey respondents (60 residents, 11 fellows, and 123 staff) from general surgery (44.8%), plastic surgery (42.7%), and neurosurgery (12.5%). 59.8% of women reported having experienced harassment compared to only 26.0% of men. Women were significantly more likely to be harassed by colleagues and patients/families compared to men. Residents (62.5%) were two times more likely to report being harassed compared to fellows/staff (38.3%). Residents were significantly more likely to be harassed by patients/families while fellows/staff were more likely to be harassed by colleagues. There were no significant differences in self-reported harassment across the three surgical specialties. There was no significant difference in rates of reported harassment between current residents (62.5%), and fellow/staff recollections of their experiences of harassment during residency (59.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of gender-based discrimination remains high and harassment prevalence remains largely unchanged from when current staff were in residency. Our findings highlight a need to implement systemic changes to support the increasing number of women entering surgery, and to improve surgical culture to continue to attract the best and brightest to the field.

Pediatric dentistry, prosthodontics, and oral and maxillofacial surgery residents' stress, career satisfaction, and gender-based discrimination/harassment.

OBJECTIVES: Dental residents experience high stress in their demanding programs and gender-based harassment/discrimination can contribute to their stress. The objectives were to compare stress, satisfaction, experienced sexual harassment and observed discrimination of women in dental graduate programs with high, medium, and low percentages of women and to explore relationships between these constructs of interest. METHODS: Note that, 112 pediatric dentistry (PD), 44 prosthodontics, and 56 oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) residents responded to a survey. RESULTS: PD residents had the lowest personal life-related stress (4-point scale with 4 = very stressful: PD = 2.99/P = 3.67/OMS = 3.56; p < 0.001), faculty-related stress (2.68/3.66/3.03; p < 0.001), lack of confidence-related stress (2.79/3.31/2.96; p < 0.01) and academic stress (2.65/3.24/3.02; p < 0.001), while prosthodontics residents had the highest stress levels. The average frequency of experiencing sexual harassment was highest for OMS residents and lowest for PD residents (5-point scale with 1 = never: 1.15/2.62/2.74; p < 0.001). PD residents observed least and OMS residents most frequently that female residents were treated less positively by other residents because of their gender (1.59/2.57/3.00; p < 0.001). Prosthodontics residents had the lowest job satisfaction score (5-point scale with 1 = lowest satisfaction: 4.12/3.14/4.20; p < 0.001). The more frequently male and female residents experienced sexual harassment, the higher their personal life-related stress, faculty-related stress, lack of confidence-related stress, and academic stress, and the lower their career satisfaction, specialty content satisfaction, and stress-related satisfaction. Women's frequencies of observed gender-based discrimination were associated with higher stress and lower satisfaction, while men's frequencies of these observations were not associated with stress, but associated with increased satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Dental residents' stress, career satisfaction, experienced sexual harassment, and observed discrimination of women residents differ depending on the dental specialty program. Both male and female residents report more stress and less satisfaction the more they experience sexual harassment. The more women observe discrimination of women, the more stressed and the less satisfied they are. For men, the frequencies of these observations are not associated with stress, but positively associated with increased satisfaction.

More Than a Joke: The Intersection of Gender-Based Humor and Gender Inequities Experienced by Women Department Chairs in Academic Medicine.

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to describe how women academic department chairs in emergency medicine, surgery, and anesthesiology experience humor in the workplace. Method: Interviews were conducted with 35 women department chairs in academic medicine from 27 institutions that aimed to describe women's leadership emergence. The data from the primary study yielded rich and revealing themes involving participants' experiences with humor in the context of their leadership roles, justifying a secondary analysis focusing specifically on these experiences. Relevant remarks were extracted, coded, and summarized. Results: Participants discussed two broad types of humor-related experiences. First, they described how they responded to aggressive gender-based humor directed at themselves or their colleagues by tolerating it or expressing disapproval. This humor includes demeaning quips, insulting monikers, sexist jokes, and derogatory stories. Participants often did not confront this humor directly as they feared being rejected or ostracized by colleagues. Second, they described how they initiated humor to address gender-related workplace issues by highlighting gender inequalities, coping with sexual harassment and assault, and managing gender-based leadership challenges. Participants felt constrained in their own use of humor because of the need to be taken seriously as women leaders. Conclusion: Women leaders in academic medicine use humor to confront gender-related issues and experience aggressive gender-based humor in the workplace. The constraints placed on women leaders discourage them from effectively confronting this aggressive gender-based humor and perpetuating gender inequities. Eliminating aggressive gender-based humor is needed to create safe and equitable work environments in academic medicine.

Sexual Harassment, Abuse, and Discrimination in Obstetrics and Gynecology: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Unlike other surgical specialties, obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) has been predominantly female for the last decade. The association of this with gender bias and sexual harassment is not known. Objective: To systematically review the prevalence of sexual harassment, bullying, abuse, and discrimination among OB-GYN clinicians and trainees and interventions aimed at reducing harassment in OB-GYN and other surgical specialties. Evidence Review: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov was conducted to identify studies published from inception through June 13, 2023.: For the prevalence of harassment, OB-GYN clinicians and trainees on OB-GYN rotations in all subspecialties in the US or Canada were included. Personal experiences of harassment (sexual harassment, bullying, abuse, and discrimination) by other health care personnel, event reporting, burnout and exit from medicine, fear of retaliation, and related outcomes were included. Interventions across all surgical specialties in any country to decrease incidence of harassment were also evaluated. Abstracts and potentially relevant full-text articles were double screened.: Eligible studies were extracted into standard forms. Risk of bias and certainty of evidence of included research were assessed. A meta-analysis was not performed owing to heterogeneity of outcomes. Findings: A total of 10 eligible studies among 5852 participants addressed prevalence and 12 eligible studies among 2906 participants addressed interventions. The prevalence of sexual harassment (range, 250 of 907 physicians [27.6%] to 181 of 255 female gynecologic oncologists [70.9%]), workplace discrimination (range, 142 of 249 gynecologic oncologists [57.0%] to 354 of 527 gynecologic oncologists [67.2%] among women; 138 of 358 gynecologic oncologists among males [38.5%]), and bullying (131 of 248 female gynecologic oncologists [52.8%]) was frequent among OB-GYN respondents. OB-GYN trainees commonly experienced sexual harassment (253 of 366 respondents [69.1%]), which included gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, and sexual coercion. The proportion of OB-GYN clinicians who reported their sexual harassment to anyone ranged from 21 of 250 AAGL (formerly, the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists) members (8.4%) to 32 of 256 gynecologic oncologists (12.5%) compared with 32.6% of OB-GYN trainees. Mistreatment during their OB-GYN rotation was indicated by 168 of 668 medical students surveyed (25.1%). Perpetrators of harassment included physicians (30.1%), other trainees (13.1%), and operating room staff (7.7%). Various interventions were used and studied, which were associated with improved recognition of bias and reporting (eg, implementation of a video- and discussion-based mistreatment program during a surgery clerkship was associated with a decrease in medical student mistreatment reports from 14 reports in previous year to 9 reports in the first year and 4 in the second year after implementation). However, no significant decrease in the frequency of sexual harassment was found with any intervention. Conclusions and Relevance: This study found high rates of harassment behaviors within OB-GYN. Interventions to limit these behaviors were not adequately studied, were limited mostly to medical students, and typically did not specifically address sexual or other forms of harassment.

Notificações de violência sexual contra crianças e adolescentes no Rio Grande do Sul: estudo descritivo, 2014-2018 / Notificaciones de violencia sexual contra niños y adolescentes en Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil: estudio descriptivo, 2014-2018 / Notifications of sexual violence against children and adolescents in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: a descriptive study, 2014-2018

Objetivo: descrever características das notificações de violência sexual contra crianças e adolescentes segundo a raça/cor da pele e sua distribuição no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, 2014-2018. Métodos: estudo descritivo de dados do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (Sinan); foram analisadas distribuições de frequência, prevalências e diferenças estatísticas pelo teste qui-quadrado de Pearson. Resultados: das 8.716 notificações, a maioria ocorreu na capital (48,2%) e de vítimas do sexo feminino (82,2%) com idade entre 10 e 14 anos (38,1%); houve maior prevalência (370/100 mil) e frequência relativa de estupro (84,5%), exploração sexual (5,8%) e negligência/abandono (4,6%) entre vítimas de raça/cor da pele negra (p-valor < 0,05); 4,6% das notificações foram realizadas nos serviços de Atenção Básica à Saúde (ABS). Conclusão: houve maior frequência de notificações entre pré-adolescentes do sexo feminino e maior prevalência entre negros, alvos prioritários das medidas de proteção; torna-se necessário reforçar a vigilância dessa violência na ABS.

Objetivo: describir las características de las notificaciones de violencia sexual contra niños y adolescentes según raza/color de piel y su distribución en Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, 2014-2018. Métodos: estudio descriptivo de datos del Sistema de Información de Enfermedades y Notificaciones (Sinan). Distribuciones de frecuencia, prevalencias y diferencias estadísticas fueron analizadas mediante la prueba de chi-cuadrado de Pearson. Resultados: de 8.716 notificaciones, la mayoría ocurrió en la capital (48,2%) y fueron de víctimas del sexo femenino (82,2%) con edades entre 10 y 14 años (38,1%). Hubo mayor prevalencia (370/100.000) y frecuencia relativa de violación (84,5%), explotación sexual (5,8%) y negligencia/abandono (4,6%) entre víctimas de raza/color de piel negro (p-valor < 0,05). Un 4,6% de las notificaciones ocurrió en servicios de atención primaria. Conclusión: hubo mayor frecuencia de notificaciones entre preadolescentes femeninas y mayor prevalencia entre víctimas negras, que deben presentar medidas de protección prioritarias. Es necesario reforzar la vigilancia de violencias en atención primaria.

Objective: to describe characteristics of notifications of sexual violence against children and adolescents according to race/skin color and their distribution in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, between 2014 and 2018. Methods: this was a descriptive study of data retrieved from the Notifiable Health Conditions Information System (SINAN). Frequency distributions, prevalence and statistical differences were analyzed using Pearson's chi-square test. Results: of the 8,716 notifications, most occurred in the state capital (48.2%) and related to female victims (82.2%) aged between 10 and 14 years (38.1%). There was a higher prevalence (370/100,000) and relative frequency of rape (84.5%), sexual exploitation (5.8%) and neglect/abandonment (4.6%) among victims of Black race/skin color (p-value < 0.05). Only 4.6% of notifications occurred in primary health care services. Conclusion: notifications were more frequent among female pre-adolescents and prevalence was higher among Black people, who should be a priority target for protective measures. Surveillance of this form of violence needs to be strengthened in primary care.

Prevalence of gender-based and sexual harassment within orthopedic surgery in Canada.

BACKGROUND: Gender-based and sexual harassment are prevalent in the medical profession. We aimed to quantify the prevalence of such behaviours within orthopedic surgery in Canada and to identify any risk factors for experiencing gender-based or sexual harassment in the workplace. METHODS: In collaboration with the Canadian Orthopaedic Association, we conducted a Canada-wide email questionnaire survey in June 2019 of all orthopedic surgeons registered with the Canadian Orthopaedic Association and the Canadian Orthopaedic Residents' Association. The development of our questionnaire was informed by a review of the literature and published surveys on gender-based and sexual harassment, and consultation with researchers in intimate partner violence. We conducted a multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors for harassment. RESULTS: Of the 1783 surgeons invited to participate, 465 returned the questionnaire (response rate 26.1%); the response rate was 48.1% for females and 22.1% for males. Overall, 331/433 respondents (76.4%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 72%-80%) and 315/423 respondents (74.5%, 95% CI 70%-78%) reported having experienced at least 1 occurrence of gender-based and sexual harassment, respectively. Women were significantly more likely than men to have experienced both gender-based and sexual harassment (odds ratio [OR] 16.2, 95% CI 4.8-54.0, and OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.2-4.0, respectively). Respondents who identified as nonwhite were significantly less likely than those who identified as white to have experienced gender-based harassment (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.99). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of gender-based and sexual harassment is high within Canadian orthopedic surgery, and women are at highest risk for experiencing harassment. The results may provide the impetus for orthopedic societies to develop action plans and to re-examine and enforce policies to address these damaging behaviours appropriately.

Women in Surgery Italia: National Survey Assessing Gender-Related Challenges.

BACKGROUND: In 2019, women accounted for 46% of surgical residents. Despite the international debate on gender disparities, no literature regarding the experience in Italy is available. The aim of this survey study was to assess satisfaction among female surgeons in Italy, and determine whether they encounter gender-based discrimination. STUDY DESIGN: An anonymous, 83-item web-based survey was distributed among female surgeons working in Italy, from November 18 to December 31, 2020. Gender equity, satisfaction, and factors associated with higher satisfaction and work-life balance were explored. RESULTS: There were 3,242 volunteer respondents, 1,833 of whom completed at least 50% of the specific questions and were included in the study. Approximately 54% of female Italian surgeons reported being satisfied with their job, but only 34% with their work-life balance. Among residents, 67% thought they were not adequately trained. The majority of respondents were responsible for most of the housekeeping (60%) and childcare duties (53%), regardless of their partner's workload, and 62% reported that gender affects the way they are treated at work, with most of them experiencing microaggressions. Sexual harassment was common (59%), but only 10% of women reported it. CONCLUSIONS: Most Italian female surgeons are satisfied with their professional choice. However, they face gender discrimination, including incidents of sexual harassment and microaggression. Due to the fact that half of surgeons working in Italian hospitals will be females in the next few years, actions are urgently required to build a culture that supports a gender-neutral environment.

Experiences of Gender Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Among Residents in General Surgery Programs Across the US.

Importance: Mistreatment is a common experience among surgical residents and is associated with burnout. Women have been found to experience mistreatment at higher rates than men. Further characterization of surgical residents' experiences with gender discrimination and sexual harassment may inform solutions. Objective: To describe the types, sources, and factors associated with (1) discrimination based on gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation and (2) sexual harassment experienced by residents in general surgery programs across the US. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional national survey study was conducted after the 2019 American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE). The survey asked respondents about their experiences with gender discrimination and sexual harassment during the academic year starting July 1, 2018, through the testing date in January 2019. All clinical residents enrolled in general surgery programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education were eligible. Exposures: Specific types, sources, and factors associated with gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcome was the prevalence of gender discrimination and sexual harassment. Secondary outcomes included sources of discrimination and harassment and associated individual- and program-level factors using gender-stratified multivariable logistic regression models. Results: The survey was administered to 8129 eligible residents; 6956 responded (85.6% response rate)from 301 general surgery programs. Of those, 6764 residents had gender data available (3968 [58.7%] were male and 2796 [41.3%] were female individuals). In total, 1878 of 2352 female residents (79.8%) vs 562 of 3288 male residents (17.1%) reported experiencing gender discrimination (P < .001), and 1026 of 2415 female residents (42.5%) vs 721 of 3360 male residents (21.5%) reported experiencing sexual harassment (P < .001). The most common type of gender discrimination was being mistaken for a nonphysician (1943 of 5640 residents [34.5%] overall; 1813 of 2352 female residents [77.1%]; 130 of 3288 male residents [4.0%]), with patients and/or families as the most frequent source. The most common form of sexual harassment was crude, demeaning, or explicit comments (1557 of 5775 residents [27.0%] overall; 901 of 2415 female residents [37.3%]; 656 of 3360 male residents [19.5%]); among female residents, the most common source of this harassment was patients and/or families, and among male residents, the most common source was coresidents and/or fellows. Among female residents, gender discrimination was associated with pregnancy (odds ratio [OR], 1.93; 95% CI, 1.03-3.62) and higher ABSITE scores (highest vs lowest quartile: OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.14-2.43); among male residents, gender discrimination was associated with parenthood (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.31-2.27) and lower ABSITE scores (highest vs lowest quartile: OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.43-0.76). Senior residents were more likely to report experiencing sexual harassment than interns (postgraduate years 4 and 5 vs postgraduate year 1: OR, 1.77 [95% CI, 1.40-2.24] among female residents; 1.31 [95% CI, 1.01-1.70] among male residents). Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, gender discrimination and sexual harassment were common experiences among surgical residents and were frequently reported by women. These phenomena warrant multifaceted context-specific strategies for improvement.

A Report of Gender Bias and Sexual Harassment in Current Plastic Surgery Training: A National Survey.

BACKGROUND: Gender bias and sexual misconduct continue to pervade medicine. The authors hypothesize that gender bias and sexual misconduct disproportionately and negatively affect female plastic surgery trainees. METHODS: A national survey of plastic surgery trainees (2018 to 2019) was conducted using previously validated sexual harassment surveys adapted for relevance to plastic surgery. Respondents were queried about experiences with workplace gender bias and harassment; personal and professional impact; and reporting practices. Analyses included chi-square, logistic regression, and analysis of variance. Significance was accepted for values of p < 0.05. RESULTS: There were 236 responses (115 female respondents; 20.1 percent response rate). Most respondents were Caucasian (Asian/Pacific Islander, n = 34) residents (n = 123). The feeling of hindrance to career advancement was greater for women, by 10-fold (p < 0.001), and increased with age (p = 0.046). Women felt uncomfortable challenging attitudes regarding gender inequality (p < 0.001), regardless of training levels (p = 0.670) or race (p = 0.300). Gender bias diminished female trainees' career goals/ambition (p < 0.001). Women were more likely to experience sexual harassment, in the form of jokes (p = 0.003) and comments about their body or sexuality (p = 0.014). Respondents reported the majority of perpetrators of harassment to be attending physicians (30 percent) and other trainees (37 percent). Most common reasons to not report incidents included "futility" (29 percent) and "fear" (20 percent). Women experienced at least three symptoms of depression/anxiety, significantly higher than men (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Gender bias and sexual misconduct negatively affect female trainees' attitudes toward their career. Two-thirds of cases of sexual harassment originate from other physicians. Minority trainees are less prepared to address transgressions and more likely to experience sexual coercion. Trainees perceive a culture nonconducive to reporting. These findings can guide changes and discussions surrounding workplace culture in plastic surgery training.

Women in Otolaryngology: Experiences of Being Female in the Specialty.

OBJECTIVES: A broad survey of women otolaryngologists on the current state of the field, including opportunities for advancement, support of family leave, and prevalence of harassment, has not been performed since 1998. An update on the experiences of female otolaryngologists is vital to continue to advance the specialty. STUDY DESIGN: Anonymous web-based survey. METHODS: Survey of members of the Women in Otolaryngology (WIO) section of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (all members of the AAO-HNS that identify as female are automatically members of this section). Distributed via AAO-HNS. RESULTS: Five hundred thirty-five responses out of 2303 total WIO members (response rate of 23.2%). Respondents ranged in age from 25 to >65 years. Respondents reported that in the residency programs they attended, 29% of residents, 13% of faculty, and 7% of department leaders were women. Forty-four percent disagreed that their department leaders and 39% disagreed that their male co-residents were supportive of women starting families in training. Younger respondents were more likely to feel that their department leaders were supportive of female residents, maternity leave, etc. Harassment in the current work environment did not differ by age; 53% reported harassment-free, 31% subtle undertones, 8% noticeable tones, 2% significant harassment. Harassment in the workplace varied by region; the greatest level of harassment was in the Midwest. CONCLUSIONS: Women otolaryngologists continue to experience harassment in the workplace. It is encouraging that younger otolaryngologists feel more supported by their departments in both their careers and their personal lives. This survey highlights critical areas for continued growth within our specialty. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV Laryngoscope, 131:E380-E387, 2021.

What Proportion of Women Orthopaedic Surgeons Report Having Been Sexually Harassed During Residency Training? A Survey Study.

BACKGROUND: The field of orthopaedic surgery is not free from sexual harassment, with one recent study revealing that 47% of surveyed American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) members reported experiencing sexual harassment during their careers. Further characterization of the reported sexual harassment experienced by orthopaedic surgeons is warranted, especially as it relates to women trainees. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) What is the overall proportion of women orthopaedic surgeons who reported having experienced sexual harassment during their orthopaedic residency? (2) Is the proportion of current orthopaedic trainees who report having experienced sexual harassment at work lower than the proportion of women attending orthopaedic surgeons who recall having been sexually harassed during their residency years? (3) Does this finding differ based on location of residency training? METHODS: An anonymous 12-question online survey was distributed between October 2019 and December 2019 to the 682 active and resident members of the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society, a professional society for women orthopaedic surgeons. The survey was created by Speak Up, an organization that is dedicated to identifying and correcting sources of workplace sexual harassment. Though not validated, the authors felt that this survey was the most easily adaptable to reflect orthopaedic training, and the authors felt it had good face validity for the purpose in a study of this kind. A total of 37% (250 of 682) of those contacted returned completed surveys. Twenty percent (51 of 250) were current residents, and 80% (199 of 250) were currently in fellowship or in practice. All survey respondents self-identified as women. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics to determine the differences in proportions of sexual harassment among current residents and attendings, as well as differences in geographic locations. RESULTS: Sixty-eight percent (171 of 250) of women reported having experienced sexual harassment during their orthopaedic training. We found no differences between current and past trainees in terms of the proportion who reported having experienced sexual harassment during residency training (59% [30 of 51] versus 71% [141 of 199], odds ratio 0.59 [95% CI 0.31 to 1.11]; p = 0.10). Compared with the northeast region of the United States, we found no differences in the proportion of women who reported having experienced sexual harassment during residency training in the South region (65% [55 of 84] versus 67% [36 of 54], OR 1.06 [95% CI 0.51 to 1.17]; p = 0.89), the Midwest region (75% [53 of 71], OR 1.55 [95% CI 0.77 to 3.12); p = 0.22), or the West region 66% [27 of 41], OR 1.02 [95% CI 0.46 to 2.23); p = 0.97). CONCLUSIONS: We found that a high proportion of women orthopaedic trainees report having experienced sexual harassment during orthopaedic residency. Residency programs should take steps to further identify and combat the sources of sexual harassment by increasing the number of women in leadership roles within the department and by ensuring that women trainees have adequate mentorship from both women and men attendings. After such measures are implemented, future studies should aim to evaluate their efficacy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prognostic study.

Sexual harassment and gender discrimination in gynecologic oncology.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of sexual harassment and perceptions of gender disparities affecting the careers of physicians in gynecologic oncology. METHODS: We conducted a survey of US physician members of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology. Participants were queried about demographics, sexual harassment experiences during training/practice, and perceptions of gender disparities in compensation and career advancement. Responses were categorized as "never" versus "ever" and compared using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: The survey was sent to 1566 members-405 (255 females, 147 males, 3 other) responded (response rate 26%). Sixty-four percent reported having experienced sexual harassment during training/practice. Sexual harassment was experienced by 71% of females and 51% of males. Of these respondents, only 14.5% reported it. Reasons for not reporting included: "incident did not seem important enough" (40%); "did not think anything would be done about it" (37%); and "fear of reprisal" (34%). Female respondents were more likely to report gender affected their career advancement (34% vs. 10%; p ≤ .001) and compensation (64% vs. 19%; p ≤ .001); males were more likely to report no gender income disparity (91% vs. 57%; p ≤ .001). CONCLUSIONS: Sexual harassment during training/practice appears common among male and female gynecologic oncologists. Although most are aware of how to report an incident, few do so, mostly for fear of reprisal or concern nothing will be done. Despite practicing in a field defined by caring for women, female physicians more often perceive gender influences their compensation and career advancement. Awareness of these issues can lead to their elimination from our specialty.

Burnout in General Surgery Residents. Survey From the Spanish Association of Surgeons. / Desgaste profesional o burnout en los residentes de Cirugía General. Encuesta de la Asociación Española de Cirujanos.

INTRODUCTION: Physicians, especially surgeons, are significatively affected by burnout. Duty-hour violation, as well as discrimination, abuse and sexual harassment may contribute to burnout. A study about this topic has been published in residents from United States, demonstrating a high incidence of burnout. Our objective is to know which is the situation in Spain and to compare it with United States. METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study carried out in January-February 2020, based on the responses to a validated survey administered to General Surgery residents in Spain. RESULTS: There are 931 General Surgery Residents. 739 have entered in the survey and 452 (61.2%) eventually responded to it. In any occasion during the training period, 55.1% reported discrimination based on their gender, 8.8% reported racial discrimination, 73.9% reported verbal/psychological abuse, 7.1% reported physical abuse and 16.4% reported sexual harassment. Attending surgeons are the most frequent source of sexual harassment and physical and verbal abuse, whereas patients are the most frequent cause of gender discrimination. Burnout symptoms were reported by 47.6% of residents and 4.6% reported suicidal thoughts. 98% of residents reported duty-hour violations and 47% of them do not have the day off after to be on call. Both of these issues are burnout predictive factors. CONCLUSIONS: Mistreatment (discrimination, abuse and harassment) occurs among General Surgery residents during their training period in our country. Every kind of mistreatment is more frequent in Spain than in the United States, with the exception of racial discrimination. It is associated with exceeding weekly duty-hour. It is necessary to know these problems and to avoid them in order to improve work environment of General Surgery training period.

Perceived Stress Mediates the Association between Deployment Sexual Trauma and Nicotine Dependence in Women Veterans.

BACKGROUND: Rates of smoking and related health consequences are higher for women veterans as compared with their civilian counterparts, and trauma is a known risk factor associated with smoking. Military sexual trauma is prevalent among women veterans and associated with deleterious health outcomes, including tobacco use. However, research has not examined variables that may explain this association. The purpose of the present study was to examine the association between deployment sexual trauma (DST; military sexual trauma that occurs during deployment) and nicotine dependence, and whether perceived stress is a potential explanatory variable (i.e., mediator) in this relationship. METHODS: Cross-sectional associations and Hayes mediation models were examined using baseline interview data from the Survey of Experiences of Returning Veterans sample (352 recently returned women veterans). RESULTS: DST was associated with postdeployment nicotine dependence and greater perceived stress. Further, perceived stress was a significant mediator between DST and binary nicotine dependence (indirect effect [standard error] of DST on nicotine dependence through perceived stress, 0.04 [0.01]; 95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.07; odds ratio, 1.04; p < .01) when controlling for education. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that perceived stress may be a clinical target for decreasing nicotine dependence among women veterans who have experienced DST.

La mujer en Cirugía: una exploración de las barreras en la carrera laboral / Women in surgery: an exploration of career barriers

Antecedentes: las cirujanas en la Argentina experimentan barreras en el ámbito laboral y personal tratando de lograr sus objetivos profesionales. El objetivo de esta investigación fue explorar las barreras que enfrentan las cirujanas en su carrera laboral en las tres principales ciudades de la República Argentina. Material y métodos: estudio exploratorio transversal. Se utilizaron encuestas anónimas a cirujanas durante un período de 6 meses. Resultados: un 59% de las cirujanas son solteras y no viven en pareja. Aquellas con hijos son las principales encargadas de la crianza. Los esposos o convivientes aparecen en tercer lugar, con un muy bajo porcentaje de responsabilidad en la tarea. En la mayoría de los espacios laborales no existe un sistema que facilite el cuidado de hijos en su trabajo. El 65% afirma haber dejado de presentar trabajos científicos luego de la maternidad. Solo un 26% de los pacientes ha rechazado sus servicios en favor de ser intervenido por un cirujano hombre. Por el contrario, un 42% de los jefes ha rechazado ser acompañado en cirugías por cirujanas. Casi un 85% de las cirujanas ha recibido comentarios alusivos a su sexualidad durante su trabajo. Conclusión: las estructuras organizacionales quirúrgicas operan como un marco normativo estructurador de prácticas y discursos que han construido, en el nivel simbólico, subjetivo e institucional, las desigualdades entre mujeres y varones en el ámbito de la actuación médica. La feminización del sector en los últimos tiempos y la salida de la mujer al ámbito laboral no implican necesariamente la equidad de género.

Background: Women surgeons in Argentina face barriers in the workplace and in their personal life when trying to achieve their professional goals. The aim of this investigation was to explore the career barriers women surgeons face in the three main cities of Argentina. Material and methods: We conducted an exploratory cross-sectional study. Anonymous surveys were administrated to women surgeons during a six-month period. Results: Among survey respondents, 59% were single and did not live with a partner. Those with children are the primary carers. Spouses or partners appear in third place, with a very low percentage of responsibility as carers. Most workplaces where female surgeons work do not have childcare facilities. Sixty-five percent of the survey respondents had not presented scientific papers after having children. Only 26 percent of patients had rejected their services in favor of a male surgeon and 42% of head surgeons had refused to be assisted by female surgeons. Almost 85% of women surgeons have received comments about their sexuality during their work. Conclusions: The organizational structures of surgery departments work as a structured regulatory framework of practices and speeches that have constructed the inequalities between women and men in the field of medical action at the symbolic, subjective and institutional level. The recent feminization of the surgical field and the entrance of women in the workplace do not necessarily imply gender equality.

Workplace violence in the health sector: validez y adaptación del instrumento al idioma español, en el contexto ecuatoriano para tipos de violencia / Workplace violence in the health sector: adaptation and validation of the questionnaire for types of violence in the ecuadorian context

Uno de los objetivos de la encuesta "Workplace Violence in the Health Sector" es investigar los factores que pueden contribuir a la violencia en el lugar de trabajo en el sector de salud en varios países del mundo para la toma de políticas públicas apropiadas. A pesar de que el inglés sea un idioma universal, en la práctica genera limitaciones para aplicarlo sobre todo en los países de América Latina. Esta investigación tiene como propósito validar el contenido, y constructo para que la encuesta se pueda aplicar en los países cuya lengua oficial es el español. Se emplearon las técnicas cualitativas y cuantitativas para validar el instrumento, con la revisión de expertos se validó la semántica e idioma. A través del el Alpha de Cronbach de 0,96 se puede aseverar la confiabilidad de este para medir la violencia de trabajo en el sector de la salud de los países de habla hispana.

The purpose of the survey "Violence in the workplace in the health sector" is to obtain information on the factors that could contribute to the workplace violence in the health sector within different countries of the world. Collecting data on the problem is therefore important of the appropriate public policy making. Despite of English is considered widely the universal language, in practice it generates limitations to apply especially in Latin American countries. This research aims to validate the content, and construction for the survey to the application in countries where Spanish is an official language. Qualitative and quantitative techniques were used to validate the questionnaire; experts review validated the semantics and language construction. The global inventory (Cronbach's alpha = 0.96) indicated good reliability to measure the workplace violence in the health sector for Spanish-speaking countries.

Discrimination, Abuse, Harassment, and Burnout in Surgical Residency Training.

BACKGROUND: Physicians, particularly trainees and those in surgical subspecialties, are at risk for burnout. Mistreatment (i.e., discrimination, verbal or physical abuse, and sexual harassment) may contribute to burnout and suicidal thoughts. METHODS: A cross-sectional national survey of general surgery residents administered with the 2018 American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination assessed mistreatment, burnout (evaluated with the use of the modified Maslach Burnout Inventory), and suicidal thoughts during the past year. We used multivariable logistic-regression models to assess the association of mistreatment with burnout and suicidal thoughts. The survey asked residents to report their gender. RESULTS: Among 7409 residents (99.3% of the eligible residents) from all 262 surgical residency programs, 31.9% reported discrimination based on their self-identified gender, 16.6% reported racial discrimination, 30.3% reported verbal or physical abuse (or both), and 10.3% reported sexual harassment. Rates of all mistreatment measures were higher among women; 65.1% of the women reported gender discrimination and 19.9% reported sexual harassment. Patients and patients' families were the most frequent sources of gender discrimination (as reported by 43.6% of residents) and racial discrimination (47.4%), whereas attending surgeons were the most frequent sources of sexual harassment (27.2%) and abuse (51.9%). Proportion of residents reporting mistreatment varied considerably among residency programs (e.g., ranging from 0 to 66.7% for verbal abuse). Weekly burnout symptoms were reported by 38.5% of residents, and 4.5% reported having had suicidal thoughts during the past year. Residents who reported exposure to discrimination, abuse, or harassment at least a few times per month were more likely than residents with no reported mistreatment exposures to have symptoms of burnout (odds ratio, 2.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.58 to 3.36) and suicidal thoughts (odds ratio, 3.07; 95% CI, 2.25 to 4.19). Although models that were not adjusted for mistreatment showed that women were more likely than men to report burnout symptoms (42.4% vs. 35.9%; odds ratio, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.20 to 1.48), the difference was no longer evident after the models were adjusted for mistreatment (odds ratio, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.80 to 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: Mistreatment occurs frequently among general surgery residents, especially women, and is associated with burnout and suicidal thoughts.