Sexual Harassment and Gender Bias in Family Medicine: Divergent Experiences of Men and Women

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Awareness of sexual harassment (SH), gender bias (GB), and gender discrimination (GD) has spread throughout popular culture and has been highlighted at universities across the United States. More nuanced data is needed to inform policies that address these issues. However, there are currently limited qualitative studies examining the nature of SH, GB, and GD in academic medicine, particularly family medicine. Methods: In 2018, we conducted a series of gender-specific focus groups with faculty and residents in a department of family medicine (DFM) to understand their experiences with and responses to SH, GB, and GD. The focus groups were transcribed verbatim. We used immersion-crystallization and an adapted SH Experiences model to review the transcripts and identify patterns or themes during the immersion process. Results: Participants identified the potential for patients, colleagues, faculty, and themselves as perpetrators and victims of SH, GB, and GD. Results suggested that GB was often implicit. SH was experienced verbally and physically. Women participants, especially, reported that both SH and GB occurred frequently and had lasting psychological effects. Gender, age, and position (faculty vs trainee) moderated SH and GB experiences. The effects seemed to be mediated by moral distress. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the importance of recognizing differences in experiences across gender, age, and position of SH, GB, and GD in academic family medicine. Our findings can be leveraged to develop antiharassment policies and set cultural expectations.

Addressing Sexual Harassment and Gender Bias: Mandatory Modules Are Not Enough

“…1 Respondents' experience of SH and GB is associated with lasting psychological effects that mainly spared the men in our department. 2 These findings are consistent with those reported in other disciplines.…”

“…We explored the lived experiences of our faculty and learners through focus groups. 1,2 We then presented our findings to faculty and triangulated data with faculty feedback and discussion of the data. Based on these results, we developed trainings to reinforce the department's stance against harassment and discrimination, to develop shared behavioral expectations and to educate all members of our department about policies and procedures.…”

Gendered and racial experiences of moral distress: A scoping review

“…Sanders et al. (2022) found that age and positions of power moderated experiences of sexual harassment, gender bias and discrimination, such as patients' stereotypes regarding women's roles, comments on physical appearances and sexist jokes and remarks; participants noted that having grey hair or wearing a doctor's coat shielded them from these experiences. Pololi et al.…”

“…Our analysis revealed a need for a nuanced approach in addressing moral distress. Gender considerations, for instance, could inform interventions by recognizing women's experiences of moral distress were found to be particularly heightened by societal gender roles and expectations and gender‐based violence and discrimination (Boakye et al., 2021; Monrouxe et al., 2015; Nemati et al., 2021; Sanders et al., 2022; Shoorideh et al., 2015). Policies that protect women against bias and sexual harassment, alongside redress mechanisms, could be effective in reducing incidents of moral distress among women healthcare workers.…”

“…Similarly, gender-diverse health professionals were found to face or anticipate discrimination and homophobia from both colleagues and their patients(Ovseiko et al, 2019;Pololi et al, 2020;Wheeler et al, 2019) Pololi et al (2020). found that being female and gender-diverse compounded this experience: sexual harassment by colleagues or superiors was noted to particularly affect female participants selfidentifying as lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, or queer or questioning (LGBTQ) Sanders et al (2022). found that age and positions of power moderated experiences of sexual harassment, gender bias and discrimination, such as patients' stereotypes regarding women's roles, comments on physical appearances and sexist jokes and remarks; participants noted that having grey hair or wearing a doctor's coat shielded them from these experiences Pololi et al (2020).…”