Mental health and work wellbeing of OB-GYNs amid shifting policy
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-11394107 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests how policy changes affect OB-GYN doctors’ mental health and job satisfaction so they can stay well and care for patients.
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 | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $458,168 |
| NIH project number | 5R01OH012664-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11394107 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Practicing OB-GYNs in the United States who are willing to participate in a survey about work experiences and mental health.
✕Less likely to help
Patients may not directly participate; the study focuses on providers, though improved clinician wellbeing can indirectly benefit patients.
What this research studies
This project asks how the policy climate affects OB-GYNs’ stress, burnout, and turnover thoughts, and which organizational supports help protect their wellbeing. Researchers will survey 800–900 OB-GYNs across the U.S. to see how state policy environments relate to work stress and mental health, and they will explore which workplace factors buffer these effects. A mixed-methods approach will combine survey data with policy analysis to identify actionable changes at the organizational level. The goal is to inform policies and workplace practices that support doctors’ health and sustain patient care in a changing regulatory landscape.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide clinics and health systems to adopt policies and practices that improve OB-GYNs’ mental health and job satisfaction, benefiting patient care.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows links between work environment and clinician wellbeing, with potential for actionable organizational changes.
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.