Comparison of quality of work life in rural family physicians and other general physicians in Iran

Background: Job satisfaction of physicians in family physician team is considered as one ofthe important factors for health system. The aim of the present study was to compare the qualityof work life (QoWL) in rural family physicians and general physicians with private clinics inKurdistan province.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among ۱۰۳ general physicians including ۵۰rural family physicians and ۵۳ general physicians with private clinics in Kurdistan province in۲۰۱۶. The data were collected using QoWL questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS, v. ۱۶.Descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation (SD) wereused to describe the data and to examine the relationship between the variables, T-test was run.Results: The QoWL of rural family physicians with a mean (SD) of ۵۵ (۷.۶) was higher thanaverage scores. But QoWL of other general physicians with a mean (SD) of ۴۷.۷ (۱۳.۵) waslower than average scores. The results of t-test showed that there was a significant differencebetween QoWL of family physicians and other general physicians (t=۸۲.۳, P=۰.۰۰۱). In ruralfamily physicians, there is a significant association between the QoWL and gender (t=۲.۷,P=۰.۰۰۹) as well as native status (t=۲.۵۳, P=۰.۰۰۴). In general physicians with private clinics,the QoWL of native physicians was higher than that of non-native physicians (t=۴.۳, P=۰.۰۰۱).Conclusion: The QoWL of rural family physicians is better than that of others generalphysicians, even though it is unsatisfactory in both studied groups. Therefore, improving theQoWL of rural family physicians, especially female and non-native rural family physicians, isrecommended because promoting the rural family physicians' satisfaction can decrease thelikelihood of turnover, and thus increase service quality and responsiveness, as a goal of thehealth system.

Keywords:

General Practitioners , Job Satisfaction , Personal Satisfaction , Personnel Turnover