Frequency and severity of sexual harassment in pharmacy practice in Ohio.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency and severity of sexual harassment in the pharmacy workplace for both male and female pharmacists, and to identify: (1) instigators, (2) places of occurrence, and (3) pharmacists' responses.


METHODS
Mailed survey using elements of the Sexual Experience Questionnaire (SEQ). One repeat mailing to nonrespondents.


METHODS
Community pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, other pharmacies in the state of Ohio.


METHODS
789 randomly selected pharmacists registered in Ohio.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Amount of gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, and sexual coercion; differences in occurrences of sexual harassment between men and women; identification of instigators as colleagues, patients, or supervisors; identification of place of occurrence as community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, or elsewhere; pharmacists' responses and reactions.


RESULTS
After two mailings, 265 usable surveys were returned for a response rate of 34%. Women differed significantly from men in total occurrences of sexual harassment, with men reporting 183 instances of sexual harassment and women reporting 281 such experiences. Instigators were colleagues (43%), patients (30%), and superiors (27%). Men reported 143 experiences of unwanted sexual attention, whereas women reported 272 such occurrences. Colleagues were responsible for 47% of instances of unwanted sexual attention, patients were responsible for 37%, and superiors 16%. No significant differences were found between men and women in total number of occurrences of sexual coercion.


CONCLUSIONS
Sexual harassment in the workplace has been experienced by both male and female pharmacists. Women experienced more hostile work environment harassment than did men. However, quid pro quo harassment did not differ significantly between the sexes.
Broedel-Zaugg
K
K
Raabe College of Pharmacy, Ohio Northern University, Ada 45810, USA. k-broedel-zaugg@onu.edu
Shaffer
V
V
Mawer
M
M
Sullivan
D L
DL
D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009820:Ohio; D010594:Pharmacies; D010595:Pharmacists; D017406:Sexual Harassment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires