Primary care practitioners’ well-being
Type de matériel :
18
The health of healthcare providers is a key point of consideration with regard to periodic certification. Besides the personal benefit, the well-being of healthcare providers is crucial for the sustainability and quality of healthcare systems. This study focuses on specific components of the quality of life of this population, namely, their working conditions and personal health management. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered survey of thirty-nine questions, mailed to French primary care practitioners registered in the French College of General Medicine (CMG) database, during the first quarter of 2022. Descriptive and subgroup analyses were conducted. Results: A total of 508 questionnaires were analyzed, representing a response rate of 13.9 percent. The respondents were predominantly female (60 percent) and young (46 percent under forty years old), practicing in groups (81 percent), and on a self-employed basis (77 percent). Two thirds of those surveyed were involved in the training of medical students. The average number of caregiving hours per week was 39.2 hours; this was lower for young and salaried physicians. A total of 36 percent of the respondents reported consulting a third-party GP. This was more common among women (p = 0.046), young doctors (p < 0.001), and those with fewer caregiving hours (p = 0.028). These respondents report rarely consulting their doctor; when needed, they rely on social support, as well as on medication (for 16 percent of participants). A link (p < 0.001) was found between self-assessed professional well-being (6.6/10) and overall health (7.4/10). A decreased number of caregiving hours was linked to improvement of the latter (p < 0.001). Working in group was linked to better health (p = 0.02). A total of 79 percent of the primary care practitioners identified at least one peer who was struggling. Conclusion: Number of working hours, while lower than those reported in the literature, was still the main variable linked to primary care practitioners’ professional well-being and health. Consulting a third-party doctor, while increasingly common, was not linked to perceived health status, perhaps due to the rarity of these medical consultations. Keeping this distinction in mind will enable us to consider appropriate solutions for improving primary care practitioner healthcare.
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