The role of job satisfaction, job dissatisfaction and demographic factors on physicians' intentions to switch work sector from public to private.
This study is based on a unique data set for the years 1988-2003 and uses structural equation models to examine the impact of job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction on physicians' intention to switch from public- to private-sector work. In Finland, physicians who work primarily in a public-hospital or health-centre setting can also run a private practice. Therefore, we also analysed the impact of having a private practice on a physician's intention to change sector. We found that private practice had a positive, statistically significant effect on the intention to switch sector in 1998 and 2003. Results also suggest that job satisfaction decreases a physician's intention to switch sector, although for 1998 it had no effect. Surprisingly, job dissatisfaction significantly increased the physicians' intentions to leave the public sector only in the 1988 data.
Kankaanranta
Terhi
T
Tampere School of Public Health, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Finland. terhi.kankaaranta@uta.fi
Nummi
Tapio
T
Vainiomäki
Jari
J
Halila
Hannu
H
Hyppölä
Harri
H
Isokoski
Mauri
M
Kujala
Santero
S
Kumpusalo
Esko
E
Mattila
Kari
K
Virjo
Irma
I
Vänskä
Jukka
J
Rissanen
Pekka
P
D002322:Career Mobility; D003625:Data Collection; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs; D010820:Physicians; D017149:Private Sector; D017150:Public Sector