Utilizing a Professionalism Mentor to Address Sexual Harassment in Academic Ophthalmology

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

article

Michelle T. Cabrera¹  Rachel G. Simpson³  Leona Ding¹  Stacy L. Pineles⁴  Karen L. Christopher⁵  Megan E. Collins⁶  Eliesa Ing⁷  Grace Sun⁸  Jeff H. Pettey³  Shira S. Simon⁹  Jayanth Sridhar^1,10  Jeffrey R. Soohoo⁵ 

[1] Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington;Department of Ophthalmology, Seattle Children's Hospital;Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, John A. Moran Eye Center;Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, UCLA;Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado School of Medicine;Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine;Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health & Science University;Department of Ophthalmology, Weill-Cornell Medicine;Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University;Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute

关键词: sexual harassment;    faculty;    ophthalmology;    graduate medical education;    residency;    academic medicine;    professionalism mentor;    education;    Title IX;    prevention;   

DOI  :  10.1055/s-0040-1722745

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Thieme

【 摘 要 】

Objective This study assesses a new departmental role—a professionalism mentor—who receives sexual harassment reporting, liaisons with campus resources, and organizes educational sessions.Study Design Multicenter randomized controlled survey study.Methods Academic ophthalmology departments in the United States were randomized to a professionalism mentor group (n = 9) and a control group (n = 7). Among both pre- and postsurveys, 605 faculty and trainee responses were received and 546 were complete. The intervention group was assigned a professionalism mentor with educational session for a 6- to 10-month period. Sexual harassment and reporting rate change over time were compared between the two groups.Results Among 546 anonymous responses, 16% experienced workplace sexual harassment during the prior 10 months. Location in the South or Midwest was a risk factor (p < 0.001). Victims were mostly women (76%), including residents/fellows (46%) and academic attendings (49%); perpetrators included patients (35%) and academic attendings (35%). Departments with and without a professionalism mentor had stable harassment from pre- to postsurvey (p = 0.95 comparing change). The professionalism mentor group had an increase in reporting to an authority from pre- to postsurvey (7–23%), whereas the control group had a decrease (27–12%; p = 0.07 comparing change). Most faculty and trainees in the interventional arm of this study recommended instituting a professionalism mentor with educational session (66% presurvey and 68% postsurvey), compared with educational session alone (25% presurvey and 23% postsurvey), or neither (9% presurvey and 9% postsurvey). Residency program directors in the professionalism mentor group even more strongly supported instituting both a professionalism mentor and educational program (100% presurvey and 100% postsurvey) as opposed to educational program alone (0% presurvey and 0% postsurvey) or neither (0% presurvey and 0% postsurvey).Conclusion This study identified a high sexual harassment rate in academic ophthalmology departments over a brief period. The presence of a professionalism mentor was viewed favorably and may lead to increased reporting.

【 授权许可】

CC BY|CC BY-NC-ND