title: Work-life balance of German gynecologists: a web-based survey on satisfaction with work and private life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Work-life balance is an upcoming issue for physicians. The working group "Family and Career" of the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics (DGGG) designed a survey to reflect the present work-life balance of female and male gynecologists in Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 74-item, web-based survey "Profession-Family-Career" was sent to all members of the DGGG (n = 4,564). In total, there were 1,036 replies (23%) from 75% female gynecologists (n = 775) aged 38 ± 7 (mean ± standard deviation [SD]) years and 25% male (n = 261) gynecologists aged 48 ± 11 years. Statistical analyses were performed using the mean and SD for descriptive analysis. Regression models were performed considering an effect of p ≤ 0.05 as statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  47% women and 46% men reported satisfaction with their current work-life balance independent of gender (p(gender) = 0.15). 70% women and 75 % men answered that work life and private life were equally important to them (p(gender) = 0.12). While 39% women versus 11% men worked part-time (p gender < 0.0001), men reported more overtime work than women (p(gender) < 0.0001). 75 % physicians were not satisfied with their salary independent of gender (p(gender) = 0.057). Work life affected private life of men and women in a similar way (all p(gender) > 0.05). At least 37% women and men neglected both their partner and their children very often due to their work.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Female physicians often described their work situation similar to male physicians, although important differences regarding total work time, overtime work and appreciation by supervisors were reported. Work life affected private life of women and men in a similar way.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsfrauenklinik, Prittwitzstrasse 43, 89075, Ulm, Germany, ka_hancke@yahoo.de.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hancke
authors.forename: Wilmar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Igl
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Toth
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bühren
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ditsch
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kreienberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006176:Gynecology; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009774:Obstetrics; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*