Factors for job satisfaction among primary care physicians in Kuwait

Objective: To explore factors affecting job satisfaction among primary care physicians in Kuwait amidst the various challenges in the aftermath of the Gulf war. These challenges are in terms of lower number of physicians and lesser number of reopened primary care centres post liberation. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire covering various aspects of job satisfaction was prepared and distributed to a random sample of 185 primary care physician across the five governorates of Kuwait. Factor analysis was employed to ascertain factors underlying job satisfaction. Results: Nine common factors underlying job satisfaction explained 66.9% of the variance in the data. Generally, the physicians were dissatisfied with three factors: salary and promotion, relationship with superiors, and availability of resources. They were satisfied with the remaining six factors: intrinsic work factors, work surroundings, job enthusiasm, relationship with hospital doctors, relationship with colleagues, and finally comfort at work. These nine factors were related to certain demographic variables that were indicative of social structure. Kuwaiti non-family physicians were least dissatisfied with salary and promotion and non-Kuwaiti family physicians were most dissatisfied with this factor. Conclusion: Nationality and specialty proved to be powerful predictors of satisfaction as well as other variables. This is expected because of the advantages Kuwaities have over non-Kuwaities in terms of salary and promotion, and the disadvantages facing family practitioners being, in general, better qualified to do the job, though not appreciated.