The AAFP Leading Physician Wellness Program: Evaluation Results from the Everyday Discrimination Scale

Context: In 2021 the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) in partnership with United Health Foundation launched a Physician Well-Being Certificate program to cultivate family physicians to lead wellness efforts to prevent burnout at interpersonal and organizational levels. Several factors contribute to physician burnout including experiences of everyday discrimination and the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated existing burnout. The AAFP conducted an evaluation aimed at assessing leadership and wellness outcomes.

Objective: This presentation highlights results of an Everyday Discrimination Survey administered to assess the levels of discrimination experienced by participants followed by baseline qualitative data indicating discrimination as a significant contributor to burnout.

Study Design and Analysis: A series of ordered probit regressions with demographic variables such as race/ethnicity, gender, years since residency completed, year of birth, type of practice were used.

Setting: American Academy of Family Physicians Population Studied: First two cohorts of participants of the Leading Physician Well-Being Certificate Program (n = 210). Intervention/Instrument: Instruments for Participants: Everyday Discrimination Scale. Outcome Measures: Types of everyday discrimination experienced at work within the last 12 months.

Results: Results from the Everyday Discrimination Scale revealed that participants experienced 1) Age discrimination: those who were born between 1981-1992 felt their opinions were ignored compared to those born 1966-1980, 2) Racial/ethnicity discrimination: those who identified as an ethnicity other than Caucasian felt they had to work twice as hard, be careful of their appearance, be careful of their tone, be aware of their surroundings, and avoid certain social situations and places compared to those who identified as Caucasian, 3) Gender discrimination: Female respondents felt they had to be careful about their appearance to avoid being harassed. Overall, when asked the main reasons participants felt they had these experiences, ancestry, nationality, race, height or some other aspects of their physical appearance were significant.

Conclusions: Daily experienced discrimination is a significant factor to consider in programs addressing physician wellness and burnout and as such is being addressed in the AAFP Leading Physician Wellness Program.