Gender discrimination among women healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a mixed methods study

Abstract

Background Gender discrimination among women healthcare workers (HCWs) negatively impacts job satisfaction, mental health, and career development; however, few studies have explored how experiences of gender discrimination change during times of health system strain. Thus, we conducted a survey study to characterize gender discrimination during a time of significant health system strain, i.e., the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We used a convenience sampling approach by inviting department chairs of academic medical centers in the United States to forward our online survey to their staff in January 2021. The survey included one item assessing frequency of gender discrimination, and an open-ended question asking respondents to detail experiences of discrimination. The survey also included questions about social and work stressors, such as needing additional childcare support. We used ordinal logistic regression models to identify predictors of gender discrimination, and grounded theory to characterize themes that emerged from open-ended responses. Results Among our sample of 716 women (mean age = 37.63 years, SD = 10.97), 521 (72.80%) were White, 102 (14.20%) Asian, 69 (9.60%) Black, 53 (7.4%) Latina, and 11 (1.50%) identified as another race. In an adjusted model that included demographic characteristics and social and work stressors as covariates, significant predictors of higher gender discrimination included younger age (OR = 0.98, 95%CI = 0.96, 0.99); greater support needs (OR = 1.26, 95%CI = 1.09,1.47); lower team cohesion (OR = 0.94, 95%CI = 0.91, 0.97); greater racial discrimination (OR = 1.07, 95%CI = 1.05,1.09); identifying as a physician (OR = 6.59, 95%CI = 3.95, 11.01), physician-in-training (i.e., residents and fellows; OR = 3.85, 95%CI = 2.27,6.52), or non-clinical worker (e.g., administrative assistants; OR = 3.08, 95%CI = 1.60,5.90), compared with nurses; and reporting the need for a lot more childcare support (OR = 1.84, 95%CI = 1.15, 2.97), compared with reporting no childcare support need. In their open-ended responses, women HCWs described seven themes: 1) belittlement by colleagues, 2) gendered workload distributions, 3) unequal opportunities for professional advancement, 4) expectations for communication, 5) objectification, 6) expectations of motherhood, and 7) mistreatment by patients. Conclusions Our study underscores the severity of gender discrimination among women HCWs. Hospital systems should prioritize gender equity programs that improve workplace climate during and outside of times of health system strain.

Empowering Nurse Health Education: Linguistic and Cultural Validation of the Nurse Health Education Competence Instrument (NHECI) in the Italian Context.

“…Regarding gender distribution, the majority of respondents identified as female, constituting 68.5% of the sample, while male respondents comprised 30.6%. This gender imbalance is consistent with previous studies on the healthcare workforce, which have consistently shown a predominance of women in nursing and other healthcare professions [28,29]. Concerning qualifications, the overwhelming majority of participants were nurses, accounting for 87.4% of the sample, whereas head nurses constituted 12.6%.…”

“If You Don’t Have the Heart to Help, You Cannot Do This Job”: The Multidimensional Wellbeing of Community Health Workers Serving Refugees During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses of color experienced greater detriments to their physical, emotional, occupational, and social wellbeing—including emotional exhaustion due to discrimination from patients and marginalization by coworkers—compared to White health workers (Boateng et al, 2019). This toll on ethnic minority health workers’ wellbeing—intersecting with gender discrimination—only intensified under the unrelenting stress of the pandemic, increased acts of explicit racism in the workplace and community, and collective trauma (Hennein et al, 2022; Hennein, Gorman, et al, 2023; Miu & Moore, 2021). Racial and ethnic congruence between CHWs and the communities they serve may decrease CHNs’ experiences of discrimination from patients, while simultaneously increasing feelings of responsibility and accountability.…”

Study on Influencing Factors of Mental Health of Mobile Young White-Collar Workers in China

“…A survey suggest that perceiving discrimination from Hong Kong local Chinese has a negative association with the mental health of mainland Chinese immigrants [34]. Another study on job discrimination and its effects on women's physical and mental health found similar results, indicating that perceived discrimination has a significant impact on overall well-being [35].…”