title: Prevalence of harassment and discrimination among residents in three training hospitals in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Multiple surveys of medical residents have shown a high incidence of harassment and discrimination in academic health centers. Harassment has a negative effects on residents' health and on their ability to function. No previous study has documented the prevalence of harassment and discrimination among residents in Saudi Arabia. We aimed in this study to assess the prevalence of harassment and discrimination among residents at a tertiary care academic hospitals in Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey conducted at National Guard Hospitals in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al-Ahsa'a from 27 July to 20 August 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey included questions on the prevalence of harassment of different types, inlcuding verbal, academic, physical and sexual harassment, as well as discrimination on the basis of gender, region of origin or physical appearance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 380 residents, 213 (56%) returned a completed questionnaire (123 male, 57.8%). At least one of type of harassment and discrimination was reported by 83.6% of respondents. The most frequently reported forms were verbal harassment and gender discrimination (61.5% and 58.3%, respectively). Sexual harassment was commonly reported (19.3%) and was experienced significantly more often by female residents than by male residents (P=.0061).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Harassment and discrimination of Saudi residents is common with more than three-quarters reporting having had such an experience. Identification of the risk factors is a necessary first step in clarifying this issue and could be used when planning strategies for prevention.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11695, Saudi Arabia. nfnais@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Naif
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fnais
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: al-Nasser
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zamakhshary
authors.forename: Wesam
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Abuznadah
authors.forename: Shahla Al
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Dhukair
authors.forename: Mayssa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saadeh
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Qarni
authors.forename: Bayan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bokhari
authors.forename: Taqreed
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alshaeri
authors.forename: Nouf
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aboalsamh
authors.forename: AbdulAziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Binahmed
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D058445:Bullying; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D017406:Sexual Harassment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012919:Social Behavior; D063508:Social Discrimination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
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