Peer-reviewed article

US Pediatricians' Reports of Feeling Unsafe at Work: Experiences With Harassment and Attacks.

Sarah M Marsicek, Elizabeth A Gottschlich, Mary Pat Frintner, Bobbi J Byrne, Laurel K Leslie · 28 Oct 2025

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Examine pediatrician-reported experiences with harassment and attacks related to misinformation and feeling unsafe at work. Compare characteristics and experiences with feeling unsafe. METHODS: Utilizing national weighted 2023 survey data (66% participation; n = 1666) from the AAP Pediatrician Life and Career Experience Study, we asked about past 12-month experiences (own and colleagues or staff) with harassment and attacks (4 types: physical; verbal in person; on social media; false damaging online reviews) for speaking out for child health and safety. We created summary measures: personally experienced any harassment or attacks (yes to ≥1) and colleague or staff experienced any (yes to ≥1). We also asked how safe they felt at work (very safe/safe/neither safe nor unsafe vs unsafe/very unsafe). Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined feeling unsafe by pediatrician and practice characteristics and experiences with any harassment or attacks. RESULTS: Thirty percent reported that they experienced any type of harassment or attack, and 49.7% reported a colleague or staff had; 10.7% felt unsafe at work. The odds of feeling unsafe were higher for pediatricians practicing in emergency department settings compared to outpatient (aOR: 3.59, 95% CI: 1.99-6.47), in urban areas compared to suburban (aOR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.28-3.31), who personally experienced harassment or attacks (aOR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.15-2.60), and whose colleagues or staff experienced harassment or attacks (aOR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.06-2.48). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatricians are not immune to workplace harassment and attacks with the growth of misinformation. Strategies are needed to mitigate these negative experiences, which were associated with feeling unsafe at work.