title: Physician satisfaction and practice intentions in Northwestern Ontario.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this research was to understand factors that affect future practice intentions of physicians who practise in rural and underserviced areas. The following 2 research questions are answered: "How many physicians in Northwestern Ontario intend to leave their practice in 5 years?" and "What is the association between professional, personal/family and community factors in physician satisfaction and intention to stay in practice?"
  
  
  METHODS
  Between September and October 2004, physicians practising in Northwestern Ontario were mailed a survey measuring professional, personal/family and community satisfaction as well as future practice intentions. Future practice intention (question 1) was analyzed through a frequency distribution, while the factors that influenced intention (question 2) were analyzed using a 3-step process: a factor analysis, the creation of scales and a logistic regression. The themes of the scales emerging from the factor analysis were family/community, time, professional support and efficacy, and sense of belonging and appreciation. The means of these 4 scales were entered into a logistic regression model along with demographic variables that were independent predictors of future practice intention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred and twenty-eight physicians were sent the survey. After 3 consecutive mailings, the response rate was 61.3% (n=201). Over two-thirds of Northwestern Ontario physicians intended to remain in practice in 5 years; however, most of these physicians were from Thunder Bay, the only city (100 000+ population) in Northwestern Ontario. Physicians were significantly more likely to intend to stay in practice if they were younger, practised in Thunder Bay and scored higher on the family/community scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings underscore the importance of addressing family and community factors, as opposed to strictly professional factors, in future retention initiatives.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work and Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Ont.
authors.forename: Mary Lou
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kelley
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuluski
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brownlee
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Snow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D010563:Personnel Turnover / Q000191:economics; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D019035:Rural Health Services; D000078329:Workforce