Table 1 Questionnaire design, variables, and definitions

Working intention

Your desire to practice medicine after reform

Y

1 decrease, 2 no change, 3–5 slight, significant, and very significant increase, respectively

Your desire to practice medicine in low-level hospitals after reform

Y1

1–5 variables defined as Y

Demography

Your education level

Education

1 technical degree, 2–5 college, bachelor, Master, and PhD degree, respectively

Your grade

Grade

1–5 variables for different grades

Are you a targeted-area student

Target

1 for Yes, 0 for No

Working environment

Your perceived level of respect for doctors

Respect

1–5 very low, low, moderate, high, and very high, respectively

Your frequency of concern about violence

Concern

1 never, 2 rarely, 3–5 occasional, frequent, and high, respectively

Your perceived incidence of violence

Violence

1–5 very low, low, moderate, high, and very high, respectively

Your perceived improvement in incidence of violence after reform

Y2

1–5 very low, low, moderate, high, and very high, respectively

Policy

Your degree of recognition of reform

Recogn

1–5 very low, low, moderate, high, and very high, respectively

Perceived policy effect

Policy

1-5 negative, no effect, positive, good, and very good, respectively

health policy or anti-violence lesson

Lesson

1 for Yes, 0 for No

Legal environment

Government’s violence prevention

Legal_{_A}

1–5 very weak, weak, moderate, strong, and very strong, respectively

Government’s response to violence

Legal_{_B}

1–5 variables defined as Legal_{_A}

Legislative punishment for violence

Legal_{_C}

1–5 variables defined as Legal_{_A}

Anti-violence law enforcement

Legal_{_D}

1–5 variables defined as Legal_{_A}

Hospitals’ protection for medical staff

Legal_{_E}

1–5 variables defined as Legal_{_A}