Increasing size of health centres may not prevent occupational isolation.
BACKGROUND
A Finnish national survey in 2002 revealed that Finnish physicians often feel that working in a primary heath care centre is isolated work.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the factors related to perceived isolation in health centre work among general practitioners (GP) working in health centres.


METHODS
A postal questionnaire study of physicians (N = 1829) working in primary health care centres.


RESULTS
The majority of GPs (67%) agreed that 'working in a health centre is too often isolated work'. Physicians felt isolated most often when working in the largest health centres (>20 posts), whereas physicians working in health centres with 3-10 posts perceived isolation least often. Difficulty in collaboration with partners or the managerial team was associated with this feeling.


CONCLUSIONS
Feelings of isolation are common among Finnish health centre physicians, but increasing the size of primary health care units may not prevent these feelings.
Mäntyselkä
P
P
Unit of Primary Health Care, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Asemakatu 44 A 4, 70110 Kuopio, Finland.
Aira
M
M
Vehviläinen
A
A
Kumpusalo
E
E
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000523:psychology*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006276:Health Facility Size; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012934:Social Isolation