News — (Atlanta – June 6, 2023) –A recent investigation conducted by Reshma Jagsi, MD, DPhil, a researcher from Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute, revealed that women, ethnic and racial minorities, and those identifying as LGBTQ+ face an unequal share of mistreatment in academic medicine workplaces. Consequently, this mistreatment has an adverse effect on their mental well-being.
Today's publication in the Journal of the American Medical Association unveils a study that focused on three key elements of workplace mistreatment in academic medicine: sexual harassment, cyber incivility, and negative workplace climate. The research delved into the disparities that exist based on gender, race and ethnicity, as well as LGBTQ+ identification. Furthermore, the study investigated the correlation between these factors and the mental health of faculty members.
A comprehensive survey was conducted, involving 830 faculty members who had received career development awards from the National Institutes of Health between 2006 and 2009 and had remained in the academic field. The researchers analyzed and compared the experiences of these individuals based on their gender, race and ethnicity, as well as their LGBTQ+ status.
The study's findings revealed that marginalized individuals, including women, individuals belonging to underrepresented racial or ethnic groups in medicine, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, face disproportionately high rates of sexual harassment, cyber incivility, and negative workplace climate. Notably, these experiences were linked to poorer mental health outcomes among these individuals.
According to Jagsi, the chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine, comprehending the nature and frequency of harassment experiences serves as a fundamental initial phase in facilitating a broader cultural transformation. She emphasizes that transforming the culture within the medical profession is crucial to establish respectful work environments that enable exceptional individuals to flourish in their pursuit of the noble mission of advancing human health through care delivery, research, and education.
The study's key findings indicate that women were more prone to experiencing sexual harassment, encompassing gender harassment and unwanted sexual attention, compared to men. Among the surveyed women, a significant 71.9% reported encountering gender harassment within the previous two years, while the figure stood at 44.9% for men. Moreover, women rated both the general workplace climate and diversity climate as more unfavorable compared to men. They also reported instances of incivility, sexist remarks, and sexual harassment when using social media in a professional capacity. Additionally, women's mental health ratings were lower, and these disparities in ratings were partly attributed to differences in experiences related to workplace culture.
Jagsi highlights that the study's findings indicate that despite advancements in women's representation within the medical field, their experiences still demonstrate marginalization. She explains that these stressors contribute to a lack of psychological safety, convey a sense of not belonging, and have a detrimental impact on mental health. Consequently, these factors undermine the well-being of these essential segments of the professional workforce.
Among individuals who identify as LGBTQ+, the study revealed that 13% reported experiencing sexual harassment when using social media in a professional capacity. In contrast, only 2.5% of those who identify as cisgender or heterosexual reported similar experiences. These findings underscore the disparities in sexual harassment experiences faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in the professional realm, highlighting the need for increased attention and support for this community.
Furthermore, the study found that respondents from races and ethnicities that are underrepresented in medicine expressed a more negative assessment of the diversity climate compared to white respondents. They also reported experiencing specific types of cyber incivility and racist comments when utilizing social media in their professional capacity. These findings shed light on the challenges faced by individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds within the medical field and underscore the importance of addressing these issues to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment.
Together, these results suggest an ongoing need for specific interventions to transform culture in academic medicine.
The authors of the study, as stated in JAMA, emphasize that organizations with the highest rates of sexual harassment are typically those perceived to tolerate such behavior. They highlight the importance of organizations proactively developing, disseminating, and enforcing sexual harassment policies, as these organizations are less likely to harbor such misconduct. However, they emphasize that these efforts should go beyond mere legal compliance and symbolic gestures, instead engaging workers from the grassroots level and leaders from the top down to bring about meaningful cultural change. The authors encourage the sharing of organizational successes and best practices through various initiatives, such as the NASEM's Action Collaborative, the Association of American Medical Colleges' Group on Women in Medicine and Sciences, and similar groups in professional specialty societies. They conclude by stating that the findings of the study should serve as a catalyst for increased attention and allocation of resources towards these important endeavors.
This study was supported by an R01 grant (grant 5R01GM139842-03) from the National Institutes of Health.
The study also involved several other researchers as co-authors. These include Kent Griffith, MS, MPH, Chris Krenz, BA, Rochelle D. Jones, MS, Christina Cutter, MD, MSc, MS, Eva L. Feldman, MD, PhD, Clare Jacobson, MD, Eve Kerr, MD, MPH, Kelly Paradis, PhD, Kanakadurga Singer, MD, MA, Abby Stewart, PhD, Dana Telem, MD, and Isis Settles, PhD, from the University of Michigan. Nancy Spector, MD, from the College of Medicine at Drexel University, and Peter Ubel, MD, PhD, from the Schools of Business and Medicine at Duke University, also contributed to the study. Their collective expertise and collaboration have contributed to the comprehensive insights provided by the research.
About Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University is dedicated to discovering cures for cancer and inspiring hope. As Georgia’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Winship researches, teaches, disseminates and provides novel and highly effective ways to prevent, detect, diagnose, treat and survive cancer. For more information, visit winshipcancer.emory.edu.
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