Occupational and Nonwork Stressors Among Female Physicians in Taiwan: A Single Case Study

Abstract

The high suicide rate among doctors is a significant issue in many countries, especially among female doctors, for whom the rate is more than two times that of the general population. Compared to many countries, Taiwan has a much lower proportion of female physicians relative to male physicians, which has been suggested as a negative factor in affecting the suicide rate. Previous studies of female physician stressors are few and focus mainly on occupational stress. Nonwork stress has not been well-researched. This study aims to explore the feasibility of providing a comprehensive evaluation of all stressors in female doctors’ daily lives by examining a cohort of Taiwanese female doctors. Maslach burnout inventory (MBI) and the Brief Symptom Rating Scale (BSRS-5) are used to screen participants for occupational stress and depressive attributes respectively. In this study, an interview is conducted with a participant, and factors contributing to lifestyle and occupational stress are identified. The study results indicate that family issues, primarily child-rearing, acts as the largest stressor in the participant’s life, outweighing even traditionally studied occupational stressors for female physicians.