This is Our Lane: A Pilot Study Examining the Surgeon's Role in Social Justice Advocacy Article

Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2021.08.041 Web of Science: 000731653700034

Cited authors

  • Liebe HL, Buonpane C, Lewis S, Golubkova A, Leiva T, Phillips R, Stewart K, Reinschmidt KM, Garwe T, Sarwar Z, Hunter CJ

Abstract

  • Background: Despite the importance of social justice advocacy, surgeon attitudes toward individual involvement vary. We hypothesized that the majority of surgeons in this study, regardless of gender or training level, believe that surgeons should be involved in social justice movements.Methods: A survey was distributed to surgical faculty and trainees at three academic tertiary care centers. Participation was anonymous with 123 respondents. Chi-square and Fisher's exact test were used for analysis with significance accepted when p < 0.05. Thematic analysis was performed on free responses.Results: The response rate was 46%. Compared to men, women were more likely to state that surgeons should be involved (86% vs 64%, p = 0.01) and were personally involved in social justice advocacy (86% vs 51%, p = 0.0002). Social justice issues reported as most important to surgeons differed significantly by gender (p = 0.008). Generated themes for why certain types of advocacy involvement were inappropriate were personal choices, professionalism and relationships.Conclusions: Social justice advocacy is important to most surgeons in this study, especially women. This emphasizes the need to incorporate advocacy into surgical practice.

Publication date

  • 2021

Published in

Category

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0002-9610

Number of pages

  • 7

Start page

  • 194

End page

  • 200

Volume

  • 223

Issue

  • 1