Reasons to quit among Swedish General Practitioners

• Background: General practitioners play a crucial part in healthcare as they provide the continuity of care that can prevent illness, and they most often represent the patients first contact with health-care. A current problem is however that there is a lack of general practitioners in several countries. Recruitment of general practitioners from abroad is essential to ensure the publics physician access, but there are indications that this group has even greater quitting intentions than native-born physicians. The antecedents of turnover intentions may moreover differ in importance for native-born and foreign-born physicians respectively. Methods and participants: The authors examined five fundamental physician work factors in relation to intention to quit among native-born general practitioners (n=208), and foreign-born general practitioners (n=73) working in a primary care setting in a central area in Sweden. Linear regression analysis was performed with control for age and gender. The sample consisted of 64 % females. Results: Foreign-born general practitioners more often stated that they would quit today if they could than native-born practitioners (t278= 3,73, p = .001). Regression analysis revealed that pressure from patients was related to an increased intention to quit in both groups. In addition, vacancies and pressure from financial goals were related to a higher risk of wanting to quit among native-born general practitioners. HR-Primacy was associated with a decreased risk of turnover intentions among the native-born general practitioners, while control of work pace was highly related to a decreased risk of turnover intentions among foreign-born general practitioners. Conclusions: General practitioners primarily experience pressure from patients and financial goals of the care-unit, which may provoke intentions to quit. Study suggestions are that care-unit financial goals are set in consent with physicians, and that control of work pace is encouraged.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

physicians

intention to quit

ethnicitym

turnover intentions

GPs

population groups

Psychology

psykologi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)