Meghan C Halley1, Kusum S Mathews2,3, Lisa C Diamond4,5, Elizabeth Linos6, Urmimala Sarkar7, Christina Mangurian8,9, Hala Sabry10, Monika K Goyal11,12, Kristan Olazo7, Emily G Miller1, Reshma Jagsi13, Eleni Linos14,15. 1. Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA. 2. Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA. 3. Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA. 4. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Hospital Medicine Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA. 5. Department of Medicine, Hospital Medicine Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA. 6. Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA. 7. Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Center for Vulnerable Populations at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA. 8. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA. 9. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA. 10. Emergency Medicine Physician, Vituity, Founder of Physician Moms Group and CEO of Physician Digital Services, Claremont, California, USA. 11. Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA. 12. Department of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Hospital, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA. 13. Department of Radiation Oncology, Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. 14. Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA. 15. Department of Epidemiology by Courtesy, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Abstract
Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has presented extreme challenges for health care workers. This study sought to characterize challenges faced by physician mothers, compare differences in challenges by home and work characteristics, and elicit specific needs and potential solutions. Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods online survey of the Physician Moms Group (PMG) and PMG COVID19 Subgroup on Facebook from April 18th to 29th, 2020. We collected structured data on personal and professional characteristics and qualitative data on home and work concerns. We analyzed qualitative data thematically and used bivariate analyses to evaluate variation in themes by frontline status and children's ages. Results: We included 1,806 participants in analysis and identified 10 key themes. The most frequently identified need/solution was for Community and Government Support (n = 545, 47.1%). When comparing frontline and nonfrontline physicians, those on the frontline more frequently raised concerns about Personal Health and Safety (67.8% vs. 48.4%, p < 0.001), Organizational Communication and Relationships (31.8% vs. 23.8%, p < 0.001), and Family Health and Safety (27.2 vs. 16.6, p < 0.001), while nonfrontline physicians more frequently addressed Patient Care and Safety (56.4% vs. 48.2%, p < 0.001) and Financial/Job Security (33.8% vs. 46.9%, p < 0.001). Participants with an elementary school-aged child more frequently raised concerns about Parenting/Homeschooling (44.0% vs. 31.1%, p < 0.001) and Work/Life Balance (28.4 vs. 13.7, p < 0.001), and participants with a preschool-aged child more frequently addressed Access to Childcare (24.0 vs. 7.7, p < 0.001) and Spouse/Partner Relationships (15.8 vs. 9.5, p < 0.001), when compared to those without children in these age groups. Conclusions: The physician workforce is not homogenous. Health care and government leaders need to understand these diverse challenges in order to meet physicians' professional and family needs during the pandemic.
Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has presented extreme challenges for health care workers. This study sought to characterize challenges faced by physician mothers, compare differences in challenges by home and work characteristics, and elicit specific needs and potential solutions. Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods online survey of the Physician Moms Group (PMG) and PMG COVID19 Subgroup on Facebook from April 18th to 29th, 2020. We collected structured data on personal and professional characteristics and qualitative data on home and work concerns. We analyzed qualitative data thematically and used bivariate analyses to evaluate variation in themes by frontline status and children's ages. Results: We included 1,806 participants in analysis and identified 10 key themes. The most frequently identified need/solution was for Community and Government Support (n = 545, 47.1%). When comparing frontline and nonfrontline physicians, those on the frontline more frequently raised concerns about Personal Health and Safety (67.8% vs. 48.4%, p < 0.001), Organizational Communication and Relationships (31.8% vs. 23.8%, p < 0.001), and Family Health and Safety (27.2 vs. 16.6, p < 0.001), while nonfrontline physicians more frequently addressed Patient Care and Safety (56.4% vs. 48.2%, p < 0.001) and Financial/Job Security (33.8% vs. 46.9%, p < 0.001). Participants with an elementary school-aged child more frequently raised concerns about Parenting/Homeschooling (44.0% vs. 31.1%, p < 0.001) and Work/Life Balance (28.4 vs. 13.7, p < 0.001), and participants with a preschool-aged child more frequently addressed Access to Childcare (24.0 vs. 7.7, p < 0.001) and Spouse/Partner Relationships (15.8 vs. 9.5, p < 0.001), when compared to those without children in these age groups. Conclusions: The physician workforce is not homogenous. Health care and government leaders need to understand these diverse challenges in order to meet physicians' professional and family needs during the pandemic.
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