Lifestyle, Happiness and Job Satisfaction in Iranian Specialist Physicians

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D, The Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism Research and Training Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 MD, Department of Community Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

3 MD, Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Besat hospital, Hamedan, Iran

4 MD, MPH, professor of community medicine, Preventive Medicine and Public Health Research Center, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background: Satisfaction of physicians could effect on their quality of life and quality of care of their patients.

Objectives: The aim of current study was to determine the job satisfaction and lifestyle of specialist physicians in Tehran.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey between October 2014 and April 2015, convenience samples of 645 specialist physicians were evaluated. We used a self-administered questionnaire included items about demographic variables, lifestyle, overall health status, happiness, and job satisfaction. Physicians based on specialty type are categorized to two groups included surgical and non-surgical.

Results : Mean age was 44.22 (±8.23) years old. The body mass index (BMI) had a mean of 25.07 (±2.98). Overall, 413 (64.5%) of participants were rated their happiness as “extremely happy” and happy. Four hundred and eight (69.5%) physicians were in an excellent or good status of health. Almost 70% (453) of studied specialist physicians were satisfied with their job. Orthopedic surgeons and obstetricians had the bests and worst general health respectively. The neurologists were happiest physicians. The general surgeons had the highest BMI.

Conclusion: Majority of studies physicians were in a good status of health and almost two third were happy. More than two third of physicians were satisfied with their job. About 40% had less than once physical activity per year and more than 45% were overweight and obese.

Keywords

Open Access Policy: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References

1.Haas JS, Cook EF, Puopolo AL, Burstin HR, Cleary PD, Brennan TA. Is the professional satisfaction of general internists associated with patient satisfaction? J Gen Intern Med. 2000;15(2):122-8.
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2000.02219.x
PMid:10672116 PMCid:PMC1495336
 
2. Katz A. Pilot project to enhance physician-patient communication. Can Fam Phys. 1999;45:218.
 
3. Bettes BA, Chalas E, Coleman VH, Schulkin J. Heavier workload, less personal control: impact of delivery on obstetrician/gynecologists' career satisfaction. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2004;190(3):851-7. [PubMed: 15042024].
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2003.10.695
PMid:15042024
 
4. Kravitz RL, Leigh JP, Samuels SJ, Schembri M, Gilbert WM. Tracking career satisfaction and perceptions of quality among US obstetricians and gynecologists. Obstet Gynecol. 2003;102(3):463-70. [PubMed:12962925].
https://doi.org/10.1097/00006250-200309000-00007
PMid:12962925
 
5. Leigh JP, Kravitz RL, Schembri M, Samuels SJ, Mobley S. Physician career satisfaction across specialties. Arch Intern Med. 2002;162(14):1577-84. [PubMed: 12123400].
https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.162.14.1577
PMid:12123400
 
6. Wetterneck TB, Linzer M, McMurray JE, Douglas J, Schwartz MD, Bigby J, et al. Worklife and satisfaction of general internists. Arch Intern Med. 2002;162(6):649-56. [PubMed: 11911718].
https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.162.6.649
PMid:11911718
 
7. Zuger A. Dissatisfaction with medical practice. N Engl J Med. 2004;350(1):69-75. [PubMed: 14702431].
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsr031703
PMid:14702431
 
8. Bogue RJ, Guarneri JG, Reed M, Bradley K, Hughes J. Secrets of physician satisfaction. Physician Exec. 2006;32(6):30-9. [PubMed: 17176708].
 
9. Baerlocher MO. Happy doctors? Satisfaction with professional life. CMAJ. 2006;174(8):1079. [PubMed: 16606952].
https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.051405
PMid:16606952 PMCid:PMC1421466
 
10. Murray A, Montgomery JE, Chang H, Rogers WH, Inui T, Safran DG. Doctor discontent. J Gen Intern Med. 2001;16(7):452-9. [PubMed: 11520382].
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016007452.x
PMid:11520382 PMCid:PMC1495236
 
11. Keeton K, Fenner D E, Johnson TR, Hayward RA. Predictors of physician career satisfaction, work-life balance, and burnout. Obstet Gynecol. 2007;109(4):949-55. [PubMed: 17400859].
https://doi.org/10.1097/01.AOG.0000258299.45979.37
PMid:17400859
 
12. West P. Why are doctors so unhappy? BMJ. 2001;322 (7298):1361. [PubMed: 11407364].
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.322.7298.1361
PMid:11407364 PMCid:PMC1120436
 
13. Arab M, Shabaninejad H, Rashidian A, Rahimi A, Purketabi K. A survey on working life quality of specialists working in affiliated hospitals of TUMS. J Hospital. 2013;11(4):19-24.
 
14. Shabaninejad H, Arab M, Rashidian A, Zeraati H, Bahrami S. Quality of working life of Family Physicians in Mazandaran. Hakim Res J. 2012;15(2):178-84.
 
15. Kane L, Peckham C. Medscape physician lifestyle report 2014. London: Medscape; 2014.
 
16. Leigh JP, Tancredi DJ, Kravitz RL. Physician career satisfaction within specialties. BMC Health Serv Res. 2009;9(1):166. [PubMed: 19758454].
https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-9-166
PMid:19758454 PMCid:PMC2754441
 
17. Lambert TW, Davidson JM, Evans J, Goldacre MJ. Doctors' reasons for rejecting initial choices of specialties as long‐term careers. Med Educ. 2003;37(4):312-8. [PubMed: 12654115].
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2923.2003.01473.x
PMid:12654115
 
18. McMurray JE, Linzer M, Konrad TR, Douglas J, Shugerman R, Nelson K. The work lives of women physicians. J Gen Intern Med. 2000;15(6):372-80. [PubMed: 10886471].
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1497.2000.im9908009.x
PMid:10886471 PMCid:PMC1495474
 
19. Duffy RD, Richard GV. Physician job satisfaction across six major specialties. J Vocation Behav. 2006;68(3):548-59.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2005.12.001
 
20. Carroll M, Flegal K, Kit B, Flegal KM. Prevalence of obesity among adults: United States, 2011-2012. NCHS Data Brief. 2013;131:1- 8. [PubMed: 24152742].
 
21. Fonken LK, Nelson RJ. The effects of light at night on circadian clocks and metabolism. Endocr Rev. 2014;35(4):648-70. [PubMed: 24673196].
https://doi.org/10.1210/er.2013-1051
PMid:24673196
 
22. Shi SQ, Ansari TS, McGuinness OP, Wasserman DH, Johnson CH. Circadian disruption leads to insulin resistance and obesity. Curr Biol. 2013;23(5):372-81. [PubMed: 23434278].
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2013.01.048
PMid:23434278 PMCid:PMC3595381
Razavi International Journal of Medicine
Volume 6, Issue 2
April 2018
Pages 26-32

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics