Attitudes and thoughts of medical practitioners towards their profession in the era of financial crisis in Greece
Vol. 61 No. 1 (2020), Occupational Medicine and Hygiene
Vol. 61 No. 1 (2020)

Attitudes and thoughts of medical practitioners towards their profession in the era of financial crisis in Greece

Occupational Medicine and Hygiene
https://doi.org/10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2020.61.1.839
Published 2020-03-31
Evangelia Nena
Laboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis
Zacharias Fasoulakis
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace Alexandroupolis
Grigorios Trypsianis
Laboratory of Medical Statistics, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis
Theodoros C Constantinidis
Laboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis
Emmanouil Kontomanolis
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace Alexandroupolis
pdf

Keywords

Medical doctors
Occupational relations
Quality of life
Workload

Abstract

Introduction: The ongoing financial crisis occurring in Greece the last 8 years has affected the income of citizens in the country, their quality of life, as well as social and occupational relationships. Aim of this study assess attitudes towards working conditions and personal life and to explore quality of life, positive or negative attitudes, as well as disorders in sleep, mood, physical condition among doctors working or being trained in a tertiary hospital of NE Greece

Methods: Included were 133 medical students and doctors of all ranks (61.7% males) practicing medicine in a University Tertiary Hospital in Greece. All of them answered a 31-item questionnaire regarding their working conditions, daytime activities and personal life, sleeping habits.

Results: In general, the majority reported dissatisfaction with the work environment, the salary and they rated their quality of life worse than that of the general population. Weekly workload exceeded 60 hours for the majority. No difference between sexes was revealed, with the exception of use of energy drinks which was more prevalent in males (70.7% vs. 51%, p=0.022). Comparison between ranks revealed that medical students performed better in everyday activities and socialization, although prevalence of reported fatigue was higher in them. Finally, it was demonstrated that surgeons used more frequently medication to achieve sleep promotion (80.4% vs. 36%, p<0.001) and daily energy (78.4% vs. 44%, p<0.001).

Conclusions: An overall dissatisfaction regarding workload, salary and quality of life is recorded among doctors of a tertiary hospital in Greece, with different coping strategies among subgroups.

 

https://doi.org/10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2020.61.1.839
pdf

References

Kentikelenis A, Karanikolos M, Papanicolas I, Basu S, McKee M, Stuckler D. Health effects of financial crisis: omens of a Greek tragedy. Lancet. 2011 Oct 22;378(9801):1457-8. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61556-0. Epub 2011 Oct 9.

Ifanti AA1, Argyriou AA, Kalofonou FH, Kalofonos HP. Financial crisis and austerity measures in Greece: their impact on health promotion policies and public health care.Health Policy. 2013 Nov;113(1-2):8-12.

Abebe DS, Tøge AG, Dahl E. Individual-level changes in self-rated health before and during the economic crisis in Europe. Int J Equity Health. 2016 Jan 5;15:1

Kondilis E, Giannakopoulos S, Gavana M, Ierodiakonou I, Waitzkin H, Benos A. Economic crisis, restrictive policies, and the population's health and health care: the Greek case. Am J Public Health. 2013 Jun;103(6):973-9

Bohrer T1, Koller M, Schlitt HJ, Bauer H; German Society of Surgery Workload and quality of life of surgeons. Results and implications of a large-scale survey by the German Society of Surgery. Langenbecks Arch Surg. 2011 Jun;396(5):669-76

Msaouel P, Keramaris NC, Tasoulis A, Kolokythas D, Syrmos N, Pararas N, Thireos E, Lionis C. Burnout and training satisfaction of medical residents in Greece: will the European Work Time Directive make a difference? Hum Resour Health. 2010 Jul 1;8:16

Schwarz L, Sippel S, Entwistle A, Hell AK, Koenig S. Biographic Characteristics and Factors Perceived as Affecting Female and Male Careers in Academic Surgery: The Tenured Gender Battle to Make It to the Top. Eur Surg Res. 2016;57(3-4):139-154. Epub 2016 Jul 5

Busireddy KR, Miller JA, Ellison K, Ren V, Qayyum R, Panda M. Efficacy of Interventions to Reduce Resident Physician Burnout: A Systematic Review. J Grad Med Educ. 2017 Jun;9(3):294-301.