UCLA

This dissertation aims to advance the understanding of upstream mechanisms that influence population health by investigating issues centering racism, diversity, inclusion, and equity within the physician and health services and policy research workforces and workplaces. Aim 1 explored the relationship between representation of Black faculty in medical schools and report of frequent burnout among practicing physicians and examined the effect of racial concordance between practicing physicians and representation of faculty on the report of frequent burnout among practicing physicians. Aim 2 estimated the occurrence of workplace racism, sexual harassment, and sexism from both coworkers and patients experienced by US practicing physicians and compared these experiences by race-ethnicity, gender, and the intersection of racial-ethnic and gender identity. Finally, Aim 3 investigated issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the workplace culture of health services and policy research, as experienced by the systematically excluded individuals in the workforce and educational pathway. These three studies aimed to answer the overarching question: How does racism operates in and affect the health services delivery and research workforce and workplace? This dissertation illuminated interpersonal racism (e.g., workplace racism, discrimination, abuse, exploitation, tokenism), institutional racism (e.g., inequitable allocation of resources, lack of institutional support, institutional violence, and struggle seeking federal funding and peer-review publication), sexual harassment, and sexism experienced by systematically underrepresented individuals in the health services delivery and research workforce. The findings have implications for future research and interventions to improve workplace culture and learning environment of the health services delivery and research.