Gender differences in physicians’ psychological climate, work-related attitudes and health

• The gender segregated labor market makes it difficult to investigate gender differences without confounding gender with such as sector, occupation or position. The present study aims to 1) investigate if psychological climate can be measured in the same way for women and men working in the same occupation, 2) compare whether levels of psychological climate as well as work-related attitudes and ill-health differ between the genders, and 3) investigate how psychological climate relates to work-related attitudes and ill-health for women and men. Questionnaire data were collected at one occasion from women (95) and men (105), working as physicians at one acute care hospital in Stockholm, Sweden. When taking gender differences in the appraisal of psychological climate into account (along with background variables), all differences found (in workgroup climate, organizational commitment, mental- and physical health complaints) were to the disadvantage of women. Role stress appeared as an important factor for negative work-related attitudes and ill-health among both women and men, while workgroup was related to better well-being and organizational characteristics to more positive attitudes only among men. More research is needed to study the often taken for granted similarities of genders’ appraisal of psychological climate. Gender should definitely be taken into account when psychological climate, work-related attitudes and ill-health are investigated. Organizations need to intensify their work with status aspects in relation to gender.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Gender

psychological climate

work-related attitudes

ill-health

physicians

Psychology

Psykologi

Psychology

psykologi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)