A COMPARISON OF STRESS AND JOB-SATISFACTION IN FEMALE AND MALE GPS AND CONSULTANTS

Questionnaires assessing sources and levels of job satisfaction and oc cupational stress were completed by male and female general practition ers (N = 547) and consultant doctors (N = 449) in Scotland during a pe riod of structural change in the health service. Job satisfaction and occupational stress scales from the Occupational Stress Inventory(30) were used to compare GPs and consultants, males and females, and to en able comparisons with other occupational groups. Consultants had great er occupational stress than GPs on three OSI subscales detailing manag erial aspects of their work, and also had greater job satisfaction ove rall than GPs. GPs were more stressed by 'intrinsic' factors of the jo b itself. Females had less occupational stress and greater job satisfa ction overall than males. Male GPs as a group had greatest job stress and least job satisfaction. Younger principals in general practice and consultants reported more occupational stress and less job satisfacti on than older doctors. These findings have implications for health ser vice management in terms of providing support and training in stress m anagement for younger doctors and for female doctors. Comparisons with combined sample norms for mainly professional and managerial occupati ons showed that GPs and consultants in the Scottish sample had general ly greater job satisfaction and less occupational stress than norms, w hich is contrary to expectations.