A recent study published in Optometry and Vision Science evaluated gender differences among optometrists (ODs) in job satisfaction and stress, burnout, and potential contributing factors.
Give me some background.
As previously reported, data released in 2024 outlined that women made up 71% of over 2,000 students starting their first semester at 26 optometry schools in North America.
- Moreover: Four of those schools reported women accounting for at least 80% of the class—and all but one school noted at least 50% of students were women in the class of 2028.
How does this translate to the optometric workforce?
Of the nearly 43K optometrists in the U.S., women comprised 48.6% of practicing ODs.
Breaking this down further by race: The majority of practicing ODs (70%) were white (of which 43% were women), while women accounted for the following percentages of other races:
- 18.9% Black (of which 60% were women)
- 4.2% Hispanic
- Of which 47.5% of women were Mexican
- Of which 39.4% of women were Puerto Rican
- Of which 13.2% of women were Cuban
- 2.8% Asian (of which 66% were women)
In terms of salary: In 2023, the average salary for a woman OD was around $108K (compared to $152K for men).
Now talk about the study.
Investigators analyzed the results from modified 10-question Mini-Z surveys distributed to optometric professional organizations via email and social media.
- Refresher: The Mini-Z is a tool used to measure work life and wellness in healthcare professionals.
In total: 1,424 optometrists responded to the survey, with 65% identifying as female, 35% as male, and 1% as another gender.
And which factors are analyzed?
The research team evaluated the following demographic factors to establish correlations between various variables and professional wellbeing:
- Age
- Marital status
- Race
- Educational background
- Years of practice
Findings?
Compared to their male counterparts:
- Female ODs were 1.54 times (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-2.06, p = 0.0032) more likely to report high levels of job stress and 2.11 times (95% CI 1.58-2.81, p < 0.0001) more likely to experience burnout.
In addition: Female respondents were significantly less likely to:
- Be White
- Be married
- Have children
- Earn $200K+ annually
- Feel they are adequately compensated
- Be mid-career or later
- Perform laser procedures
- Own their clinical practice
Anything else?
Compared to men, women optometrists reported worse or higher:
- Control over workload (Odds ratio [OR]: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.20-2.18, p = 0.0016)
- Time for documentation (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.16-2.05, p = 0.0031)
- Value misalignment with leadership (OR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.15-2.34, p = 0.0059)
- Team efficiency (OR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.14-2.36, p = 0.0074)
- Amount of time spent on electronic health record (EHR) at home (OR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.30-2.61, p = 0.0005)
Expert opinion?
Women entering male-dominated fields / leadership positions, particularly in hierarchical healthcare settings, experience a unique set of stressors, including “status leveling burden.”
- Which means: The pressure placed on women from subordinates within their organization to be treated as equals.
For example: Previous studies have found that female surgeons were more inclined to assume extra responsibilities, relax professional boundaries and demonstrate kindness in their interactions with colleagues and subordinates, which can be time-consuming and emotionally draining.
Keep going…
“These findings suggest that female optometrists enjoy their work, but the additional time and emotional labor required to achieve the same status as their male peers may contribute to higher levels of job stress and burnout,” the study authors explained.
Further: Female physicians have also been found to spend more time with patients, which may leave less time for charting and increase time spent on EHRs at home.”
Tie it all together for me.
This data demonstrates that female U.S.-based optometrists reported worse professional well-being outcomes compared with men, even after accounting for demographic and practice characteristics.
Why this is important: These differences are increasingly relevant as the optometry workforce continues to transition from male- to female-dominated and may inform future interventions.
Next steps?
It may be beneficial to include gender-specific aims in further study of interventions and policies aimed at improving the professional wellbeing of optometrists.
In addition: Examining the intersection of gender, race, and ethnicity in the professional wellbeing of optometrists presents an opportunity for future research.