Mistreatment Experiences, Protective Workplace Systems, and Occupational Distress in Physicians

Abstract

Reducing physician occupational distress requires understanding workplace mistreatment, its relationship to occupational well-being, and how mistreatment differentially impacts physicians of diverse identities. A survey of 1505 physicians conducted from September to October 2020 found that 23.4% had experienced mistreatment in the last year, with patients and visitors as the most frequent source of mistreatment. Women were more than twice as likely as men to experience mistreatment. Mistreatment was associated with higher levels of occupational distress, whereas the perception that protective workplace systems exist was associated with lower levels of occupational distress. These findings suggest that health care organizations should prioritize reducing workplace mistreatment, and systems that prevent workplace mistreatment may improve physicians' occupational well-being.