title: The influence of workload  and health behavior on job satisfaction of general practitioners.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Workload, personal health behavior, and job satisfaction of the physicians are crucial aspects for the quality of care they provide. The aim of our study was to identify influencing factors on job satisfaction with regard to general practitioners' (GPs) characteristics such as age, gender, health behavior, body mass index (BMI), and workload.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey with a sample of 1,027 German GPs was used. Job satisfaction was measured according to a modified version of the Warr-Cook-Wall job satisfaction scale. Further, we collected data about health behavior and BMI of GPs and demographic data. Group comparison was evaluated using ANOVA with Bonferroni correction for post-hoc tests. A linear regression analysis was performed in which each of the job satisfaction items were handled as a dependent variable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 34.0%. GPs were rather satisfied with their job with the exception of "hours of work," "physical working condition," and "income." GPs working in cities had less working hours per week, less number of patients per day, longer consultation times, and a higher proportion of privately insured patients compared to GPs working in rural areas. Being female, a higher age, a good health behavior, a lower BMI, and a high proportion of privately insured patients were positively associated with job satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that job satisfaction depends on different aspects of working conditions and individual characteristics. Therefore, strategies to improve job satisfaction should target improving working conditions and activating physicians' health resources.
authors: Department of General Practice and Health Services Research, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. katja. goetz@med.uni-heidelberg.de
authors: Katja
authors: K
authors: Goetz
authors: Berthold
authors: B
authors: Musselmann
authors: Joachim
authors: J
authors: Szecsenyi
authors: Stefanie
authors: S
authors: Joos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005858:Germany; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data