[The self-perception of their professional role of the primary care physicians of Estonia and Finland].
OBJECTIVE
To find out how experienced primary care physicians working in different societies see themselves as doctors.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Primary health care in Estonia and Finland.


METHODS
Estonian district doctors (n = 110) and Finnish specialists of general practice (n = 211).


METHODS
In a postal questionnaire the respondents were asked to evaluate how well 18 different expressions described them as doctors on a 5-step scale from "1 = very poorly" to "5 = very well".


RESULTS
Four of the five expressions that were thought most accurate and telling--"Listener", "Vocational doctor", "Helper", and "Family physician"--were the same in Estonia and Finland.


CONCLUSIONS
Even though there are differences in health care systems, the self-images of primary care doctors in both countries were more or less consistent with the international definitions of the general practitioner's job and role.
Virjo
I O
IO
Escuela de Medicina, Departamento de Medicina General, Universidad de Tampere, Finlandia.
Mattila
K J
KJ
Lember
M
M
Kermes
R
R
Pikk
A
A
Isokoski
M K
MK
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004957:Estonia; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010819:Physician's Role; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires