title: A survey of sued physicians' self-reported reactions to malpractice litigation in Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To illustrate the psychological effect of grievances and negligence litigation on doctors sued by Legal Medicine Organization Complaints Commissions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective survey regarding the views of a large sample of Iranian sued physicians by using a piloted anonymous questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The answer rate was 77.5%. Seventy-six per cent of participants encountered monitoring criteria for psychiatric disturbance. Rate of psychological morbidity in between study cluster was much higher than Iranian general population, Iranian non-sued general practitioners, interns and medical students. There was, however, minimal dysfunction of work, public or family life. The survey form to estimate the doctor's realization of lawful risk displayed that doctors yet misconceive medico-legal risk. Doctors being sued or having legal protests against them depict the process as an exceedingly demanding event.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Grievance or legal action is unusual in the daily practice of doctors, but in today's medico-legal domain they face a continuous possible threat. The threat of, or real, legal process can cause psychological, corporeal and behavioral practice changes.
authors: Legal Medicine Organization of Tehran, Iran.
authors: Seyed Mehdi
authors: SM
authors: Saberi
authors: Ardeshir
authors: A
authors: Sheikhazadi
authors: Hojatalah
authors: H
authors: Joghataei
authors: Vida
authors: V
authors: Mohammadi
authors: Masoumeh
authors: M
authors: Fallahian
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008297:Male; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires