Does lack of job satisfaction intensify psychological distress among clinicians, and vice versa?

Abstract

Background: To analyze prevalence of job dissatisfaction and psychological distress among doctors with exposure of significant socio-demographic aggravators. Material and Methods: This descriptive KAP-survey was conducted under the auspices of Pak Emirates Hospital Rawalpindi from Sep 2017-Apr 2018. Information was collected on a self-designed questionnaire, standardized General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) and Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS). Data analyzed via SPSS-21 and p-value (p<0.05 considered significant). Results: Distress and job satisfaction scores were 12.31±6.33(0-30) and 127.28±29.432(36-201) respectively; with a significant positive correlation of job satisfaction with age (0.288 & <0.001), negative correlation of distress with age (-0.177 & 0.008) and job satisfaction (-0.355 & <0.001). Distress was harbored by 20(74.1%), 40(55.6%) and 12(16.7%) of dissatisfied, indecisive or satisfied participants respectively. Age, marital status, total offspring, job description, working schedules, salaries and work experience significantly affected outcome variables; gender and qualification remained inert. Respondents satisfied with job were less distressed than ambivalent (cOR 0.120; 95% CI, 0.047-0.304) or dissatisfied (cOR 0.168; 95% CI, 0.056-0.506). Conclusion: Perpetual relation between job dissatisfaction and psychological distress was confirmed. All echelons of health care providers must be intermittently screened and managed for psychosomatic perils; every aggravator must also be quarried and catered-for.