Female physicians in the 1980s: personal and family attitudes and values

A lengthy questionnaire asking about family background (parents, grandparents, and siblings), training and career, marriage, children, and gender discrimination was completed by 283 female physicians from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Demographic information gathered indicated that these physicians were similar to other female physicians in the United States. Information about values and attitudes of the physicians, their parents and husbands added depth to the demographic numbers. Differences between results for older (born before 1950) and younger physicians were rare. A high degree of gender discrimination pervaded the results. Results are discussed in terms of efforts to eliminate gender discrimination in the personal and professional lives of female physicians.