Responding to Patient-Initiated Verbal Sexual Harassment: Outcomes of a Pilot Training for Ophthalmologists

Sexual harassment of physicians by patients is highly prevalent and rarely reported. Little is known on how to prepare physicians to handle verbal sexual harassment that detracts from their ability to provide care but does not meet the threshold for reporting. To assess the impact of a sexual harass...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of academic ophthalmology (2017) 2020-07, Vol.12 (2), p.e175-e180
Main Authors: Hock, Lauren E, Scruggs, Brittni A, Barlow, Patrick B, Oetting, Thomas A, Abràmoff, Michael D, Shriver, Erin M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
gender
ophthalmology
patient
resident
sexual harassment
toolkit
training
workshop
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Summary:Sexual harassment of physicians by patients is highly prevalent and rarely reported. Little is known on how to prepare physicians to handle verbal sexual harassment that detracts from their ability to provide care but does not meet the threshold for reporting. To assess the impact of a sexual harassment workshop and toolkit for ophthalmologists and ophthalmology trainees on responding to patient-initiated verbal sexual harassment. A survey study of ophthalmology faculty, fellows, and residents who participated in workshops on responding to patient-initiated verbal sexual harassment was performed at an academic center. A toolkit of strategies for response was distributed. Volunteer participants completed a retrospective pretest-posttest evaluation at the conclusion of the workshop and follow-up survey 3 weeks after the workshops on whether they experienced harassment and intervened. The pretest-posttest surveys assessed the workshop's effect on ophthalmologists' perceptions of and preparedness to respond to sexual harassment in the moment using a 5-point Likert scale, including bystander intervention. Participants described their responses observing and/or experiencing patient-initiated sexual harassment in the 3 weeks following the workshop and whether they had intervened toward the harassment. Ophthalmologists (n=31) felt significantly more prepared to respond to patient-initiated sexual harassment directed towards themselves or a trainee in the moment after participating in the workshop (4.5 ± 1.63,) than before (3.0 ± 1.3) with a mean change of -1.6 (95% CI -2.2 to -.98, p
ISSN:2475-4757
2475-4757
DOI:10.1055/s-0040-1717062