Universal problems during residency: abuse and harassment.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Occupational Health
• Cross-cultural Psychology

Background:

• Mistreatment during residency negatively impacts physicians' health and well-being.
• Understanding the prevalence and nature of mistreatment is crucial for developing effective interventions.
• Previous research has primarily focused on Western countries, necessitating investigation into other cultural contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of mistreatment among resident doctors in Japan.
• To identify specific forms of mistreatment and their alleged perpetrators.
• To explore the emotional impact of mistreatment and reporting reluctance.

Main Methods:

• A multi-institutional, cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2007 involving 619 residents from 37 hospitals.
• Data were collected on six categories of mistreatment: verbal, physical, academic, sexual, gender discrimination, and alcohol-associated harassment.
• Statistical analysis, including chi-square tests, was used to compare male and female responses and identify patterns.

Main Results:

• A response rate of 57.4% (355 residents) was achieved, with 84.8% reporting mistreatment.
• Verbal abuse was the most common form (72.1%), followed by alcohol-associated harassment (51.8%).
• Women frequently reported sexual harassment (58.3%). Doctors were the most common abusers (34.9%), and few residents reported abuse (12.0%).

Conclusions:

• Mistreatment during residency is a universal problem within medical culture.
• Alcohol-associated harassment emerged as a culturally specific issue in Japan, demanding targeted preventive strategies.
• Addressing mistreatment requires a global approach, with specific attention to culturally unique problems.