Adapting and Validating the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire to Study Sexual Harassment Among University Women in Jordan

Association of burnout and harassment among cardiology trainees: Pakistan's perspective

OBJECTIVE

This study explores the relationship between sexual harassment and burnout among cardiology trainees, shedding light on the prevalence and impact of these experiences in medical practice.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 518 respondents, with 420 responding to the Sexual Experience Questionnaire (SEQ). The survey measured harassment experiences and their impact on burnout, especially among female physicians. Correlations were analyzed to understand the association between these variables.

RESULTS

Out of 1,375 invitees, we received 671 (48.8 %) responses. The study population was divided into two main groups: males (359) and females (312). The study identified a high prevalence of sexual harassment experiences among female physicians, with incidents occurring primarily during training. Moderate to large correlations were observed between SEQ subscales related to colleagues and patients and their families. While sexual harassment was not significantly related to burnout, this study suggests the need for interventions to create a safer medical workplace. Approximately 22 % of male participants (n = 359) reported career-related inappropriate sexual incidents, with 28 % of male physicians experiencing weekly burnout. Among female participants (n = 312), around 37 % reported inappropriate incidents, while 42 % of female physicians felt weekly burnout.

CONCLUSION

Sexual harassment in medicine is a pervasive issue with potential implications for physician well-being. Initiatives aimed at changing the organizational response and fostering a more equitable environment are warranted to address this critical concern.

"There Is Always an Excuse to Blame the Girl": Perspectives on Sexual Harassment at a Jordanian University

Sexual harassment (SH), defined as unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, presents a global public health issue and a barrier to empowerment for women and girls. To understand the perceived causes of SH in the Jordanian university context, we conducted focus groups (n = 6) and participatory data collection with students (n = 317) and interviews with staff and administrators (n = 5) at a public university. These data identified norms governing men's and women's behavior, institutional climate and policies, tribal conservatism and protection of perpetrators, and early socialization as underlying SH. Campus-based interventions should adopt approaches aimed at multiple levels of the social ecology.