[General practitioners' job satisfaction].

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to assess the level of job satisfaction among Danish general practitioners (GPs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire on job satisfaction and sociodemography was sent to all 458 registered GPs in the County of Aarhus, Denmark.

RESULTS: A total of 379 (83.5%) GPs participated. Danish GPs have a high level of job satisfaction. They were most satisfied with colleagues and fellow workers, amount of responsibility and freedom to choose their own method of working, and they were least satisfied with remuneration and hours of work. Longer working hours were associated with lower job satisfaction. Furthermore, GPs with low job satisfaction wanted to retire earlier. There was no association between job satisfaction and the number of practice staff. One in every twenty (6%) GPs would not repeat the same career choice again. Apart from their remuneration, Danish GPs' job satisfaction was higher than that of their Norwegian and British colleagues.

CONCLUSION: Overall job satisfaction among Danish GPs was high, also compared with foreign countries. Low job satisfaction was associated with wanting to retire early, implying that a high level of job satisfaction is important for GP retention. Shorter working hour was associated with higher job satisfaction.