Preventive medicine physician satisfaction and its relation to practice characteristics.
BACKGROUND
Physicians specializing in general preventive medicine and public health manage programs, conduct research, and care for patients. This study examines their satisfaction overall and in five dimensions: contribution to people's lives, respect from physicians in clinical practice, research opportunities, income, and time to pursue outside interests.


METHODS
A survey of 1979-1989 graduates of preventive medicine residencies rated satisfaction on a five-point scale. Linear models were used to regress physician satisfaction against employer, hours worked, practice content, and other covariates.


RESULTS
Respondents' (n = 778) overall job satisfaction was high, with 44% very satisfied, 44% satisfied, 7% neutral, and 6% dissatisfied. Federal government physicians had the highest satisfaction overall and for research opportunities and time for outside interests. Independent, statistically significant (p < .001) associations were found between higher satisfaction with research opportunities among academic and federal government employers, among Caucasians, and those with substantial epidemiologic practice; and lower satisfaction with time to pursue outside interests, more hours worked, and among women.


CONCLUSIONS
Physician satisfaction could be understood in relation to a number of practice characteristics including its content, hours worked, income, and employer. The results suggest ways to improve physician satisfaction, including balancing competing demands of practice and focusing the physicians' responsibilities.
Salive
M E
ME
Epidemiology, Demography and Biometry Program, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Salive@a1.cber.fda.gov
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D011315:Preventive Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012106:Research; D014481:United States