An exploratory study of job satisfaction of general practitioners in the Yangon region, Myanmar

Background. General practice in Myanmar will develop in the coming few years due to its involvement in the National Health Plan (2017–2021) [1]. General practitioners’ job satisfaction is an essential factor in the quality of health care. Objectives. The objective of our study is to evaluate the job satisfaction of general practitioners in the Yangon region. Material and methods. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on general practitioners in the Yangon region using the 10-element Warr-Cook-Wall Job Satisfaction Scale. Statistical analysis and testing were performed by descriptive analysis, correlation analyses, stepwise linear regression, independent student t-Test and ANOVA analysis. Results. As participants, 257 general practitioners in the Yangon region were included in this study. The majority of the participants were 25 to 35 years of age and had less than 5 years of experience. The overall ratings of job satisfaction of the participants were quite high. In the study, general practitioners are satisfied with “Freedom of working method” and “Amount of responsibility”, with the highest mean being 5.54 and 5.44, respectively. Contradictorily, they were dissatisfied with “Income” (mean = 4.77) and “Colleagues and fellow workers” (mean = 4.91). The “Opportunity to use abilities” was a high predictor of overall job satisfaction in linear regression analysis. Conclusions. In conclusion, this study provides elements that help GPs be satisfied with their work. If the elements highlighted in this study are emphasised and supported, the primary care and health care system of Myanmar will strengthen and develop.