2. Quality of Life - NRGPS Abstract

Aims

This paper explores aspects of the quality of life priorities and satisfactions experienced by general practitioners in rural and remote areas. The paper aims to identify differences between male and female doctors; younger and older doctors; and rural and remote doctors. The paper will suggest avenues for future quality of life research and the applications of quality of life research to the development of recruitment, retention and support programs and models of general practice service delivery in rural and remote areas.

Methods

The National Rural General Practice Study included a survey of nearly 1400 rural and remote general practitioners across Australia. Respondents were presented with a list of twenty-eight items relating to aspects of quality of life, and asked to indicate on a 7 point scale the level of importance they ascribed to each item (priorities), and the level of satisfaction that they currently experienced with each item (satisfactions). Findings from this study could be compared with similar findings from studies in Western Australia, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia in the late 1980s and early 1990s to identify differences between States and changes in quality of life priorities and satisfactions since those studies were conducted.

Results

Some measure of absolute and relative importance of the twenty eight quality of life items could be calculated both in terms of priorities and satisfactions. Previous studies have generally focussed on relative importance of items. The National Rural General Practice Study found that most items were generally rated as important, but that there was less general agreement about the level of satisfaction experienced with each item. Quality of life priority and satisfaction profiles showed that groups of respondents could be identified according to their quality of life expectations and experiences.

Discussion

The quality of life of rural general practitioners has been considered an important factor in decisions to practice or not practice in certain locations. The quality of life profiles revealed that there were a variety of practitioners who, despite having different priorities and satisfactions, experienced similar levels of overall satisfaction with their practice environments. This has implications for designing recruitment, retention and support programs which deal effectively with a wide range of needs and expectations, where previous studies may have assumed a more homogenous practitioner population.

Further Information

Further information about the National Rural General Practice Study and its implications for rural general practice policy in Australia can be found in the study working papers and final report. You can obtain copies of the working papers and final report from the School of Rural Health.