The feminization of the medical career in Brazil and work-family conflicts

Abstract

This article deals, in a comparative manner from a gender perspective, with the occurrence of work-family conflicts and its antecedents, in the medical career of Brazilian professionals. The results indicate that the greater the stressors are presented at work or within the family, the greater the conflict tends to be, and the greater the social support in these two spheres, the lesser the conflict tends to be. Stressors related to work have shown themselves to be more significant than those related to the family, while social support at work is what succeeds in diminishing the effects of stressors in both spheres. Even though women have larger degrees of stress at work on average and less social support, there were no significant differences in terms of conflicts. This study contributes to a reflection on actions related to minimizing conflicts and promoting gender equality as well as the well-being of workers.