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The Attitude and Perceptions of Work–life Balance: A Comparison Among Women Surgeons in Japan, USA, and Hong Kong China

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Abstract

Background

The objective of the present study was to explore how women surgeons manage their work–life balance in three environmental and cultural settings.

Method

Members of the Japan Association of Women Surgeons (JAWS), the United States of America (US) based Association of Women Surgeons (AWS), and the Women’s Chapter of the College of Surgeons of Hong Kong (WCHK) were surveyed.

Results

Among 822 women surgeons contacted, 252 responded (response rate 31.8 %; 55.5 % JAWS, 28.2 % AWS, and 25.3 % WCHK). Japanese women surgeons think that work is the number one priority, whereas US and Hong Kong China (HK) respondents think the number one priority is home life. Work satisfaction level was generally high among women surgeons in all countries; however, 19 % of US surgeons are somewhat dissatisfied with their work and 76.1 % think that men are treated more favorably than women at work. Whereas 51.6 % of Japanese women surgeons think that men are treated more favorably than women at home, at the same time they placed more importance on the role of women in the family. More than half of Japanese women surgeons are “uncertain” about their career path in the future, whereas 55.2/87.1 % of US/HK respondents are optimistic. All surgeons recommended expanding support for child rearing or nursing care during work hours, promoting a flexible work schedule and changing some of the older conventional ideas about gender role.

Conclusions

It is essential to address women surgeons’ concerns to enable them to have a clearer vision and a challenging career, and to be more certain about their personal and professional goals.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan (MEXT) KAKENHI (Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research) Grant Number 22510295.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8, Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan

    Kazumi Kawase

  2. Division of Breast Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, SAR, China

    Ava Kwong

  3. Department of Breast Surgery, School of Medicine, Teikyo University, 2-11-1, Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-0003, Japan

    Kyoko Yorozuya

  4. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan

    Yasuko Tomizawa

  5. Department of Surgery, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, 750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA

    Patricia J. Numann

  6. Department of Surgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 19638, Springfield, IL, 62794-9638, USA

    Hilary Sanfey

Authors
  1. Kazumi Kawase
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  2. Ava Kwong
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  3. Kyoko Yorozuya
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  4. Yasuko Tomizawa
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  5. Patricia J. Numann
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  6. Hilary Sanfey
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kazumi Kawase.

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Kawase, K., Kwong, A., Yorozuya, K. et al. The Attitude and Perceptions of Work–life Balance: A Comparison Among Women Surgeons in Japan, USA, and Hong Kong China. World J Surg 37, 2–11 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-012-1784-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-012-1784-9

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