Overcoming Barriers: Sex Disparity in Surgeon Ergonomics

Christina L Jacovides; Camila R Guetter; Marie Crandall; Kandace McGuire; Eliza M Slama; Anastasia Plotkin; Meghana V Kashyap; Geeta Lal; Marion C Henry; Association of Women Surgeons Publications Committee

doi:10.1097/XCS.0000000000001043

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Overcoming Barriers: Sex Disparity in Surgeon Ergonomics

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Overcoming Barriers: Sex Disparity in Surgeon Ergonomics

Christina L Jacovides, Camila R Guetter, Marie Crandall, Kandace McGuire, Eliza M Slama, Anastasia Plotkin, Meghana V Kashyap, Geeta Lal, Marion C Henry and Association of Women Surgeons Publications Committee

Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Vol.238(5), pp.971-979

05/2024

DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001043

PMID: 38511681

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Abstract

Musculoskeletal discomfort is widely experienced by surgeons across multiple surgical specialties. Developing technologies and new minimally invasive techniques add further complexity and ergonomic stressors. These stressors differentially affect male and female surgeons, but little is known about the role these gender disparities play in surgical ergonomic stress. We reviewed existing literature to better understand how ergonomic stress varies between male and female surgeons. A literature search was performed via Pubmed including but not limited to the topics: ergonomics, surgeons, female surgeons, women surgeons, pregnancy, operating room. A review of available quantitative data was performed. Female surgeons endure more pronounced ergonomic discomfort than their male counterparts, with added ergonomic stress associated with pregnancy. A four-fold method is proposed to overcome ergonomic barriers: 1) improved education on prevention and treatment of ergonomic injury for active surgeons and for trainees; 2) increased departmental and institutional support for ergonomic solutions for surgeons; 3) partnerships with industry to study innovative ergonomic solutions; and 4) additional research on the nature of surgical ergonomic challenges and the differential effects of surgical ergonomics on female surgeons.

Details

Title: Subtitle: Overcoming Barriers: Sex Disparity in Surgeon Ergonomics
Creators: Christina L Jacovides - Temple University Hospital
Camila R Guetter - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Marie Crandall - University of Florida Health Science Center
Kandace McGuire - Virginia Commonwealth University
Eliza M Slama - Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, Woodbridge, VA
Anastasia Plotkin - University of Southern California
Meghana V Kashyap - University of Nebraska Medical Center
Geeta Lal - University of Iowa
Marion C Henry - University of Chicago
Association of Women Surgeons Publications Committee
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Vol.238(5), pp.971-979
DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001043
PMID: 38511681
eISSN: 1879-1190
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 03/21/2024
Date published: 05/2024
Academic Unit: Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Surgery
Record Identifier: 9984573830002771

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