[High prevalence of job dissatisfaction among female physicians: work-family conflict as a potential stressor].
Due to the family-centric nature of Hungarian society and to the high proportion of women in the medical profession, more female than male physicians may experience work-family conflict. The authors hypothesized that work-family conflict may reduce job satisfaction among female physicians. However, there is limited information about the prevalence of work-family conflict and job dissatisfaction as well as their associations among female physicians.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the prevalence of work-family conflict and its relations to job dissatisfaction among Hungarian physicians.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study with 219 female and 201 male physicians using self-report questionnaires.


RESULTS
As hypothesized, female physicians reported significantly higher level of work-family conflict compared to male physicians (3.0 (SD 0.9) vs. 2.6 (SD 0.9); t (df): -3.8 (418); p < 0.001). Furthermore, more female than male physicians experienced work-family conflict often or extremely often [56% vs. 41%, respectively; chi 2 (df) = 9.3 (1); p < 0.01]. Significantly fewer women (55%) than men (66%) reported high levels of job satisfaction [chi 2 (df) = 4.8 (1), p < 0.05]. Similarly, significantly more female physicians (13%) experienced high level of job dissatisfaction compared to men (6%) [chi 2 (df) = 4.7 (1), p < 0.05]. Linear regression analyses showed that work-family conflict predicts job dissatisfaction among female and all physicians (beta = -0.17, 95% CI -0.31 - -0.04 and beta = -0.14, 95% CI -0.22 - -0.04, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
These results show that the level and prevalence of work-family conflict experienced by female physicians in Hungary is significantly higher than that among male physicians. Furthermore, these findings suggest that work-family conflict as a stressor may contribute to the development of job dissatisfaction and hence may adversely impact the well-being of female and male physicians and consequently the quality of patient care.
Adám
Szilvia
S
Semmelweis Egyetem, Altalános Orvostudományi Kar, Magatartástudományi Intézet, Budapest. adaszil@net.sote.hu
Gyorffy
Zsuzsa
Z
László
Krisztina
K
D000328:Adult; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload; D017132:Workplace