Quality of Work Life Factors Among Medical Residents: A Comparative Study of Public and Private Hospitals in Mexico

Background and objective Medical residency constitutes a crucial stage in the professional training of physicians, characterized by high clinical and academic demands that directly impact their quality of work life (QoWL). In addition, it is necessary to consider the differences between public and private hospitals, since their organizational structures, availability of resources, and institutional cultures vary significantly, although evidence on how these differences impact QoWL remains limited and inconclusive. The objective of the study was to comprehensively evaluate the factors of the academic-labor environment that affect the QoWL of medical residents in two tertiary-level hospitals in Mexico City, one public and one private. Materials and methods A multicenter analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 325 medical residents from one public and one private hospital in Mexico City. Data collection was carried out through a digital questionnaire including sociodemographic, clinical, and academic-labor variables. Given the self-reported nature of the questionnaires, potential response bias cannot be excluded. To minimize these risks, the survey was conducted digitally and anonymously, and validated instruments such as the brief version of the CVT-GOHISALO and the Inventory of Violence and Psychological Harassment at Work (IVAPt-Pando) were applied to ensure reliability in this population. Statistical analysis included descriptive measures, Pearson's chi-square (χ²) tests, and multiple logistic regression models. Results The overall prevalence of unsatisfactory QoWL was 23.7%, with a higher prevalence in the private hospital (28.8% vs 20.2%). The most affected dimension was free time management (82.5% unsatisfactory). Significant differences were observed in institutional support, with 46.2% of residents in the private hospital reporting dissatisfaction, compared to 19.7% in the public hospital. Logistic regression analyses identified workplace violence as the most critical determinant, increasing more than fourfold the risk of unsatisfactory QoWL. The explained variance of the models rose from 3.8% to 17.4% when organizational and psychosocial factors were included, although other unmeasured factors may also contribute substantially to QoWL. Conclusions In conclusion, unsatisfactory QoWL among medical residents in our sample was predominantly associated with psychosocial exposure factors, specifically workplace violence, rather than structural or sociodemographic characteristics. While our observational design limits normative recommendations, these results highlight workplace violence and institutional support as key targets for future longitudinal research and institutional policy evaluation.