Long working hours among hospital-employed obstetricians and gynecologists and associated factors: a comparative study based on a nationwide survey
Objectives: To elucidate the status of reduction in working hours following physician work-style reforms and factors associated with long working hours. Methods: A nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted among obstetricians and gynecologists (OB/GYNs) working in hospitals. The survey elucidate...
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| Language: | English |
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Japan Society for Occupational Health
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Environmental and Occupational Health Practice |
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| Online Access: | https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/eohp/7/1/7_2024-0018/_html/-char/en |
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| author | Masatoshi Ishikawa Ryoma Seto Michiko Oguro Yoshino Sato |
| author_facet | Masatoshi Ishikawa Ryoma Seto Michiko Oguro Yoshino Sato |
| author_sort | Masatoshi Ishikawa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: To elucidate the status of reduction in working hours following physician work-style reforms and factors associated with long working hours. Methods: A nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted among obstetricians and gynecologists (OB/GYNs) working in hospitals. The survey elucidated actual working conditions, including working hours and number of out-of-hour (OOH) shifts. To identify factors associated with long working hours, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed, with ≥60 or ≥80 working hours per week as dependent variables and OB/GYNs attributes (sex, age, job position, hospital type by ownership, total number of hospital beds, and regional characteristics) as independent variables. Results: Questionnaires were sent to 1,170 hospitals. Valid responses were obtained from 1164 OB/GYNs at 423 hospitals (response rate: 36%): 26.0% worked ≥60 hours per week, a reduction from 58.1% in 2019 (equivalent to over 960 hours of overtime annually), 5.4% worked ≥80 hours per week, a reduction from 41.2% in 2019 (equivalent to over 1,920 hours of overtime annually); and 46.9% worked OOH shifts ≥5 times per month. Factors significantly associated with long working hours per week included male sex, resident position, teaching duty, and number of OOH shifts. Conclusions: Although the working hours of OB/GYNs have decreased because of physician work-style reforms initiated in 2019, long working hours persist. To ensure health of OB/GYNs and patient safety, it is necessary to actively promote physician work-style reforms and advance measures aimed at the centralization of medical resources and addressing their maldistribution. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-49d9310c9e1c486686c0702587ae794f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2434-4931 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Japan Society for Occupational Health |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental and Occupational Health Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-49d9310c9e1c486686c0702587ae794f2025-08-20T03:24:08ZengJapan Society for Occupational HealthEnvironmental and Occupational Health Practice2434-49312025-06-017110.1539/eohp.2024-0018eohpLong working hours among hospital-employed obstetricians and gynecologists and associated factors: a comparative study based on a nationwide surveyMasatoshi Ishikawa0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9855-3233Ryoma Seto1Michiko Oguro2Yoshino Sato3Research Institute, Tokyo Healthcare University, JapanResearch Institute, Tokyo Healthcare University, JapanResearch Institute, Tokyo Healthcare University, JapanResearch Institute, Tokyo Healthcare University, JapanObjectives: To elucidate the status of reduction in working hours following physician work-style reforms and factors associated with long working hours. Methods: A nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted among obstetricians and gynecologists (OB/GYNs) working in hospitals. The survey elucidated actual working conditions, including working hours and number of out-of-hour (OOH) shifts. To identify factors associated with long working hours, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed, with ≥60 or ≥80 working hours per week as dependent variables and OB/GYNs attributes (sex, age, job position, hospital type by ownership, total number of hospital beds, and regional characteristics) as independent variables. Results: Questionnaires were sent to 1,170 hospitals. Valid responses were obtained from 1164 OB/GYNs at 423 hospitals (response rate: 36%): 26.0% worked ≥60 hours per week, a reduction from 58.1% in 2019 (equivalent to over 960 hours of overtime annually), 5.4% worked ≥80 hours per week, a reduction from 41.2% in 2019 (equivalent to over 1,920 hours of overtime annually); and 46.9% worked OOH shifts ≥5 times per month. Factors significantly associated with long working hours per week included male sex, resident position, teaching duty, and number of OOH shifts. Conclusions: Although the working hours of OB/GYNs have decreased because of physician work-style reforms initiated in 2019, long working hours persist. To ensure health of OB/GYNs and patient safety, it is necessary to actively promote physician work-style reforms and advance measures aimed at the centralization of medical resources and addressing their maldistribution.https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/eohp/7/1/7_2024-0018/_html/-char/engynecologistsjapankaroshiobstetriciansworking hourswork-style reform |
| spellingShingle | Masatoshi Ishikawa Ryoma Seto Michiko Oguro Yoshino Sato Long working hours among hospital-employed obstetricians and gynecologists and associated factors: a comparative study based on a nationwide survey Environmental and Occupational Health Practice gynecologists japan karoshi obstetricians working hours work-style reform |
| title | Long working hours among hospital-employed obstetricians and gynecologists and associated factors: a comparative study based on a nationwide survey |
| title_full | Long working hours among hospital-employed obstetricians and gynecologists and associated factors: a comparative study based on a nationwide survey |
| title_fullStr | Long working hours among hospital-employed obstetricians and gynecologists and associated factors: a comparative study based on a nationwide survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Long working hours among hospital-employed obstetricians and gynecologists and associated factors: a comparative study based on a nationwide survey |
| title_short | Long working hours among hospital-employed obstetricians and gynecologists and associated factors: a comparative study based on a nationwide survey |
| title_sort | long working hours among hospital employed obstetricians and gynecologists and associated factors a comparative study based on a nationwide survey |
| topic | gynecologists japan karoshi obstetricians working hours work-style reform |
| url | https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/eohp/7/1/7_2024-0018/_html/-char/en |
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