China's medical workers under pressure

BEIJING - Chinese medical workers are under pressure from growing doctor-patient disputes, according to a survey released by DXY.COM, an online community for medical staff.

The survey found that 86.7 percent of its participants, which include 3,360 doctors, pharmacists and nurses, have encountered disputes in the past 12 months, and 65.7 percent of them are not satisfied with the way doctor-patient disputes are handled by hospitals.

Mutual antagonism has been spreading between doctors and patients in China, and a lack of trust can sometimes lead to bloodshed.

It is still common for hospitals to make concessions to patients when disputes occur in order to avoid bigger troubles.

The survey also solicited feedback from participants, who said they want fair treatment when there are disputes through legal procedures rather than just making compensation.

The survey also showed some 50.4 percent of medical workers suffer from mild or moderate depressive symptoms.