How changes in reproductive policy affect OB-GYN doctors' mental health and work life
Official title: Mental health and work-related wellbeing of U.S. obstetrician-gynecologists in a shifting policy climate
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11175946 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how shifting state reproductive health laws relate to stress, burnout, and job plans among U.S. obstetrician-gynecologists.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $387,445 |
| NIH project number | 5R01OH012664-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11175946 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are U.S.-based practicing obstetrician-gynecologists working in a range of state policy environments and clinical settings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not use OB-GYN services or whose care is provided by clinicians unaffected by reproductive policy shifts may see little direct benefit from this work.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers will survey 800–900 practicing OB-GYNs across the United States and conduct interviews to learn how state policy changes affect their day-to-day work, stress, and decisions about staying in or leaving clinical practice. They will compare responses from doctors in different state policy environments and examine workplace features that help protect clinicians' mental health. The team will use both numbers from the large survey and stories from interviews to get a fuller picture. The goal is to identify organizational steps hospitals and clinics can take to support OB-GYN wellbeing in a shifting policy climate.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help reduce OB-GYN burnout and turnover, which may preserve patient access and continuity of reproductive and gynecologic care.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has linked workplace and policy factors to physician burnout, but using a large, mixed-methods approach focused specifically on OB-GYNs across changing state reproductive-policy contexts is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Buchbinder, Mara Helene — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Buchbinder, Mara Helene
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.