TITLE:
Spousal Involvement in the Workplace of Doctors: What Is Defined as Appropriate or Inappropriate
AUTHORS:
Uchenna Onubogu, Boma Oyan, Martha Okorie
KEYWORDS:
Spouse, Workplace Involvement, Hospital, Healthcare Workers, Conflicts, Appropriate
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.16 No.3,
March
19,
2024
ABSTRACT: Background: Workers spend a significant
amount of time in the workspace. Involvement of a spouse in a doctor’s
workplace can take different forms and come with different intentions. Objectives: The survey aimed to determine the prevalence and extent of spousal involvement
in physicians’ workplaces as well as the outcome of such involvement on doctor’ swell-being, productivity, and
relationship with colleagues. Methods: This cross-sectional online survey on spousal involvement in the workplace of doctors was conducted among 83
responding doctors from July to August 2023. Results: Among the
respondents, 60 (72.3%) had witnessed a doctor’s spouse being involved in the
workplace. The most
common reason for spousal involvement in the workplace was to protect the spouse from what they perceived as a
threat 34 (54.0%). Spouse’s ignorance of boundaries in the workplace (OR: 6.09 (95% CI: 1.70, 21.79) P: 0.003) and exertion of control
by the spouse (OR: 11.2 (95% CI: 2.26, 56.41) P: 0.002) were significantly
associated with higher odds of inappropriate spousal involvement in the
workplace, while expression of love for spouse with acts of kindness was significantly
associated with a lowered odd of inappropriate spousal involvement (OR: 0.11 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.36) P: 0.0001). Conclusion: Spousal
involvement in the workplace is relatively common. Ignorance of the boundaries of the workplace and exertion of control
by the spouse were significant enablers of inappropriate spousal involvement in
the workplace of doctors. The establishment of workplace policies that define the limits of spousal
involvement in the doctor’s workplace can foster a healthy workspace environment, enhance doctors’ well-being, and improve patient
care.