Relationship of residents' emotional problems, coping behaviors, and gender

Family medicine residents were studied to test the hypotheses that a higher incidence and greater severity of personal or emotional problems are associated with a higher incidence of maladaptive coping behaviors among women than men residents. Self-report data were collected from 466 residents in six states on personal or emotional problems and on alcohol use, cigarette smoking, weight, diet, and exercise. The study provides evidence that the women residents experienced a higher incidence and greater severity of personal or emotional problems than men and that these problems were associated with an increased percentage of women than men who had used alcohol during the preceding year, had used alcohol daily, had increased use of alcohol over the two years before the survey, and had had perceptions of being overweight and were on calorie restricted diets. The gender differences in cigarette smoking and frequency of exercise were not significant. The author concludes that residency programs need to provide flexible programs that would better accommodate women's needs and to help residents develop healthy strategies for dealing with stress.