[Gender influence on health related quality of life among resident physicians working in an emergency department].

BACKGROUND The high emotional burden of physicians working in emergency departments may affect their quality of life perception. AIM To evaluate health related quality of life among resident physicians performing shifts at an emergency department. MATERIAL AND METHODS Seventy one physicians aged 26,3 ± 1,7 years (47 women), working as residents in an emergency department, answered the short version of the Short-Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36®). This questionnaire analyses eight domains: physical function, body pain, general health, vitality, social function, emotional role and mental health. RESULTS Women had a significantly worse perception than a reference population in four dimensions of the SF-36, especially mental health and social functioning. Men had scores similar to the reference population. Among women, vitality is the best predictor of mental health and social functioning. CONCLUSIONS Women working as residents in an emergency department have a worse perception of their quality of life than men performing the same job.