Table 1

Participant characteristics and univariate associations with self-perceived medical errors

	Physicians (N=10 457)		Physicians who reported errors (N=4562)		Physicians who reported no error (N=5895)
	n	%	n	%	n	%	P value
Total	10 457	100.0	4562	43.6	5895	56.4
Age (median, P25–P75)	35.00 (31.00–41.00)		35.00 (31.00–40.00)		36.00 (31.00–42.00)		<0.0001*
Sex							<0.0001
Male	7632	73.0	3497	45.8	4135	54.2
Female	2825	27.0	1065	37.7	1760	62.3
Education level							<0.0001
Associate degree or vocational diploma†	1684	16.1	556	33.0	1128	67.0
Bachelor degree	7789	74.5	3519	45.2	4270	54.8
Master degree or higher	984	9.4	487	49.5	497	50.5
Self-perceived physical health							<0.0001
Good	1499	14.3	346	23.1	1153	76.9
Fair	5130	49.1	2074	40.4	3056	59.6
Bad	3828	36.6	2142	56.0	1686	44.0
Work-related factors
The level of hospital							<0.0001
Primary hospital and others	2429	23.2	905	37.3	1524	62.7
Secondary hospital	4442	42.5	1949	43.9	2493	56.1
Tertiary hospital	3586	34.3	1708	47.6	1878	52.4
Job title							0.0014
Resident	4972	47.6	2089	42.0	2883	58
Physician-in-charge	4112	39.3	1882	45.8	2230	54.2
Chief physician	1373	13.1	591	43.0	782	57.0
Shortage of physicians							<0.0001
No	2790	26.7	926	33.2	1864	66.8
Yes	7667	73.3	3636	47.4	4031	52.6
Workplace verbal aggression (times)							<0.0001
0	1902	18.2	421	22.1	1481	77.9
1~3	4130	39.5	1686	40.8	2444	59.2
4~6	1705	16.3	879	51.6	826	48.5
7~	2720	26.0	1576	57.9	1144	42.1
Effort-reward imbalance							<0.0001
No	2260	21.6	653	28.9	1607	71.1
Yes	8197	78.4	3909	47.7	4288	52.3
Overcommitment (median, P25–P75)	18.00 (17.00–19.00)		18.00 (18.00–20.00)		18.00 (17.00–18.00)		<0.0001*
Personal distress
Depressive symptoms							<0.0001
No	6723	64.3	2410	35.9	4313	64.2
Yes	3734	35.7	2152	57.6	1582	42.4
Negative affect (median, P25–P75)	17.00 (14.00–20.00)		18.00 (15.00–20.00)		15.00 (13.00–19.00)		<0.0001*
Satisfaction with job (median, P25–P75)	12.00 (10.00–15.00)		11.00 (9.00–13.00)		12.00 (11.00–16.00)		<0.0001*
Self-efficacy (median, P25-P75)	26.00 (21.00–30.00)		24.00 (20.00–29.00)		27.00 (22.00–30.00)		<0.0001*

*This p value is associated with Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney test; all other p values are associated with χ² tests.
†To obtain an associate degree in China requires 3 years of education in college after graduation from senior middle school (grade year 10 to year 12). An associate degree in China is equivalent to the UK’s Higher National Diploma. To obtain a vocational diploma requires 3 years of education in vocational schools after graduation from junior middle school (grade year 7 to year 9).