الفهرس 
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Abstract
Job satisfaction is positively correlated with the quality of care, which is thus highest in units where job satisfaction among the staff is high. Hospitals that score highly in job satisfaction measurements also reportedly score highly in quality of care and other desirable outcomes. In addition, physicians’ perceptions of the quality of care were explained by factors related to job satisfaction as measured in some studies. The factors were work (amount, content, development, and being part of organization) and values prevalent in the work environment and organization.
How¬ever, the evidence regarding work-related job satisfaction of hospital physicians and its risk predictors is scarce. Reviewing the available literature revealed that there are few available studies whether in the Middle East, in general, or Kuwait, in particular, about the root factors associated with job satisfaction among hospital physicians. Thus the current study was formulated with the following objectives: measure the level of job satisfaction among general hospitals in Kuwait and identify its sociodemographic and job predictors in addition to studying the relation between job satisfaction and work related stress as well as the annual performance assessment of physicians. To achieve such objectives; a cross-sectional study was carried out in 6 general hospitals in Kuwait. All available physicians, from October 2012 to September 2013, who spent at least one year at the current work were included in the study. A total of 1884 completed questionnaires were collected from the physicians. The questionnaire included, mainly, three parts. Part one dealt with sociodemographic characteristics, job details, risky behaviors of physicians and self-reported annual performance. Part two dealt with job satisfaction scale, while part three included a scale for measuring work related stress.
The findings of the current study were summarized as follows:
Part I: Description of the studied sample
The majority (67.8%) were in the age group 30 to 50 years. Males formed about three quarters (74.9%) of the studied physicians. Non Kuwaitis formed the majority of the physicians (73.5%). Married physicians constituted 87.5%, of these 19.6% did not have any children, while more than half (52.0%) had 1-2 children.
About a tenth (10.4%) hold a Bachelor certificate, while 44.3% hold master/Diploma certificate and 45.3% hold a Board or a PhD certificate. Less than half the physicians (48.2%) were working as a registrar while less than a third (31.0%) were specialists or consultants. Less than a half (47.2%) were earning less than KD 1500, while those earning more than KD 2500 constituted 23.1%. Internal medicine were the most common specialty among the physicians followed by pediatricians (17.7%) and surgeons (15.9%). About two thirds (67.4%) spent less than 20 years at the current job. All of the studied physicians attended training workshops. The vast majority (94.5%) had an “excellent annual performance”.
Only 12.0% were daily smokers, of those one third (33.0%) smoked less than 10 cigarettes per day, while 39.7% were daily smoking 20 or more cigarettes. Those smoking for more than 20 years constituted 37.0% of smoking physicians. Less than two thirds (62.2%) were not regularly exercising, while just more than a fourth (26.8%) were excessively consuming coffee daily. Less than a third (30.1%) were regularly using medicines for chronic medical conditions. Hypertension (15.7%) and diabetes mellitus (6.5%) were the most likely encountered chronic medical conditions.
Overall, about one third only (33.9%) of physicians were satisfied with their jobs. Physicians were more likely satisfied with the social work environment domain (72.7%) followed by autonomy domain (54.5%). Financial domain was the least domain to be satisfied with (20.5%) followed by professional opportunities (27.6%) and professional feedback (28.9%). Less than half the physicians (46.5%) were satisfied with the work load domain. A similar proportion (46.2%) of the physicians were satisfied with the physical work environment.
Overall the mean percent score % of stress scale was 44.67 ± 19.57 % and a median of 44.12 %. The most stressful aspects of the scale were increased work load due to shortage of staff (46.8%) followed by dealing with aggressive patients (42.5%) and dealing with several dying patients (37.5%). The least stressful aspects for the physicians were if work is beneficial (18.9%), friction/trouble with colleagues (21.1%) and making autonomous decisions (22.2%).
Part II: Relation between job satisfaction and sociodemographic characteristics
Significant correlation was found between age and all the domains of job satisfaction except for performance feedback and social work environment. Age had a significant positive correlation with overall job satisfaction. Although no significant differences were found between males and females (33.9% compared with 33.6%, P = 0.895). Males tended to be more significantly satisfied with work load and physical work environment, while females were more satisfied with professional opportunities, financial and performance feedback. Kuwaiti physicians tended to be more significantly satisfied with professional opportunities, financial and performance feedback domains while Non Kuwaiti physicians were more satisfied with the physical work environment domains. However, overall job satisfaction did not show any significant difference between the two groups. Overall, 34.9% of the married physicians were satisfied with their jobs compared with 26.7% of the single physicians, P = 0.013.
Part III: relation between job satisfaction and job characteristics
Physicians with high qualification (PhD or Board) were the more satisfied (40.9%) with their job than those holding master/Diploma (32.1%) or bachelor degree (10.7%, P <0.001). Job satisfaction increased with increase of the job title hierarchy. Specialist/consultants were more likely to be satisfied with their job (45.9%) followed by senior registrars (36.6%) and registrars (29.2%) while, assistant registrars were the least satisfied (19.0%) with their job, P <0.001. Job satisfaction increased by monthly income increase. Those earning KD 2500+ were the most satisfied with their jobs compared with those earning less (46.7% compared with 28.5% and 32.5% respectively, P <0.001). Laboratory and radiology physicians were most satisfied with their jobs (47.6%) followed by emergency medicine (34.0%) and internal medicine (34.5%) physicians while, only 22.2% of surgeons were satisfied with their jobs, P <0.001. Years of experience at current work significantly positively correlated with job satisfaction score (r = 0.151). No significant relation was found between job satisfaction and attending training workshops as 34.7% of those attending training workshops were satisfied with their jobs compared with 29.3% of those not attending, P = 0.075. Physicians having excellent annual performance were more likely satisfied with their jobs (35.5% compared with 5.8%, P <0.001).
Part IV: Relation between job satisfaction and behavioural risk factors
Non smoker physicians tended to be more satisfied with their jobs than non smokers (35.6% compared with 21.1%, P <0.001). No significant difference could be noticed between using medication by physicians and job satisfaction (33.5% compared with 36.0%, P = 0.203). Physicians practicing regular exercise tended to be more satisfied with their jobs than those not practicing (44.3% compared with 27.5%, P <0.001). Job satisfaction did not statistically differ between the physicians consuming and those not consuming coffee excessively (34.8% compared with 31.3%, P = 0.153).
Part V: Relation between job satisfaction and stress
Negative significant correlations were observed between stress and the overall score of job satisfaction as well as all the domains of the scale.
Part VI: Predictors of job satisfaction among physicians
A physician with monthly income KD 1500+, working as a laboratorian or a radiologist, with a PhD/Board, assessed as excellent in the annual performance assessment, non smoker, regularly exercising and suffering from low level of stress was predicted to be more likely satisfied with his job.
Thus it was concluded that Job dissatisfaction is common among hospital physicians in Kuwait. The significant predictors of job satisfaction were high income, working as a radiologist or laboratorian, higher level of education, high grades of annual performance assessment, non smoking, regularly exercising and low level of work stress.
It can be recommended that salaried and incentives should be improved. Work load needs to be lowered, physical environment needs to be improved and managerial support to physicians should be considered. Further research is required in primary, tertiary and specialized health care.