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Abstract
BackgroundDespite many recent studies on burn-out and dissatisfaction among American medical doctors, less is known about doctors in the Scandinavian public health service. The aims of this study were to analyse long-term work-related predictors of life satisfaction among established doctors in Norway and to identify predictors in a subgroup of doctors who reported a decline in life satisfaction.MethodsTwo nationwide cohorts of doctors (n = 1052), who graduated medical school 6 years apart, were surveyed at graduation from medical school (T1, 1993/94 and 1999), and 4 (T2), 10 (T3), and 15 (T4) years later. Work-related predictors of life satisfaction (three items) obtained at T2 to T4 were analysed. Individual and lifestyle confounders were controlled for using mixed-models repeated-measures analyses, and logistic regression analyses were applied to identify predictors of the decrease in life satisfaction.ResultsNinety per cent (947/1052) responded at least once, and 42% (450/1052) responded at all four times. Work-related predictors of higher life satisfaction in the adjusted model were work–home stress (β = − 0.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] = − 0.25 to − 0.16, p < 0.001), perceived job demands (β = − 0.10, CI = − 0.15 to − 0.05, p < 0.001), and colleague support (β = 0.05, CI = 0.04 to 0.07, p < 0.001). The new adjusted individual predictors that we identified included female gender, reality weakness trait, and problematic drinking behaviour. Neuroticism trait and low colleague support predicted a decrease in life satisfaction.ConclusionsWork–home stress, perceived job demands, and colleague support were the most important predictors of life satisfaction related to doctors’ work. When personality traits were controlled for, female doctors were more satisfied with their life than male doctors. These findings suggest that improving work-related factors with targeted interventions, including a supportive work environment, may increase life satisfaction among doctors.
Highlights
Despite many recent studies on burn-out and dissatisfaction among American medical doctors, less is known about doctors in the Scandinavian public health service
In our previous study of work-related factors, we found that work stress is important to life satisfaction early in the career of Norwegian doctors [10]
The cohorts were merged (n = 1052), and the present data were obtained at four time points: Final year of medical school (T1), final year of medical school; T2, 4 years after graduation; T3, 10 years after graduation; and T4, 15 years after graduation
Summary
Despite many recent studies on burn-out and dissatisfaction among American medical doctors, less is known about doctors in the Scandinavian public health service. Representative longitudinal studies are needed to identify long-term work-related predictors of low life satisfaction that may some cohort studies have shown that doctors report more work-related stress and emotional distress than others in the population, most evidence has been about doctors early in their career [4,5,6,7]. Few long-term longitudinal studies have controlled for the effects of possible confounders, such as individual factors, personality, lifestyle factors, Mahmood et al BMC Health Services Research (2019) 19:729 and life stress outside of work, including negative life events, on work-related pressure [9]. Because the cohorts graduated medical school 6 years apart, it is possible to study the effects of recent trends induced by health reforms
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