MIXED FEELINGS - SATISFACTION AND DISILLUSIONMENT AMONG AUSTRALIAN GPS

Background and aims. Medical practitioners' satisfaction with their wo rk impacts on quality of care for their patients and on their own sens e of fulfilment. Reforms introduced in the early 1990s into Australian general practice have led to concerns over the morale of GPs. This st udy examines satisfaction and dissatisfaction of GPs with regard to th e reform strategy. Method. GPs throughout Australia were approached vi a a popular GP magazine to express their views in a questionnaire comp rising closed-end and open-ended questions enquiring about satisfactio n with their current role and sources of satisfaction (and dissatisfac tion) of working in general practice. Factor analysis was used to iden tify different sources of satisfaction (and dissatisfaction), which we re intercorrelated and which together represented underlying factors. Logistic regression modelling was used to determine which sources were most strongly associated with being satisfied (or not satisfied), and to explore GP characteristics associated with satisfaction. Results. A total of 2186 questionnaires were returned, representing the opinion s of 14-18% of Australian GPs. Two-thirds (68%) of respondents reporte d being satisfied, most frequently with the variety of work and establ ishing relationships with patients and their families. Six satisfactio n factors were identified on factor analysis, the most important chara cterizing social and interpersonal roles. Leading sources of dissatisf action related to perceived interference by the government. Six dissat isfaction factors were identified on factor analysis, the most importa nt characterizing governmental issues. However, on logistic regression other sources of dissatisfaction (reflecting disillusionment) were mo st strongly associated with not being satisfied. Conclusions. The main sources of satisfaction are those which typify the long-term caring r ole of the community GP. While the reform strategy aimed to address pr oblems with the organization and financing of general practice, the re sulting intervention is the focus of dissatisfaction. Among dissatisfi ed GPs these attitudes may arise primarily from a sense of disillusion ment.