SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY RESULTS OF SELF-ASSESSMENT POSSIBILITIES FOR SELF-REALIZATION AMONG DOCTORS OF GENERAL PRACTICE – FAMILY MEDICINE IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The aim:To study self-assessment opportunities for primary care doctors’ self-realization and their satisfaction with work during health care transformations in Ukraine. Materials and methods:To achieve this purpose, we compiled a questionnaire according to which an anonymous survey was conducted among 247 family doctors from six regions of Ukraine (Cherkasy, Zakarpattia, Odessa, Kirovohrad, Sumy, Kiev regions). In the study, we used the following research methods: sociological and medical-statistical. The method of mathematical statistics by applying Microsoft Excel 2013 was used to analyze research outcomes. Results:The obtained data on self-assessment opportunities for primary care doctors’ self-realization show that most of the respondents are not satisfied with their work. At the same time, the older general practitioners – family doctors are, the less important self-realization becomes for them, due to a disturbing fact of a highly probable lack of job, which is the first priority problem they may face. The willingness to work abroad is reported more than twice as high among family doctors aged up to 47 years. According to family doctors, irrespective of their age, the priority problems to be solved were reported as follows: poor financings; insufficient material and technical resources of out-patient clinics of the general medical practice; the necessity of returning national clinical protocols; the incompetence of health management; not clearly established interconnection between different levels of health care system. Conclusions:Family doctors in Ukraine have mostly unsatisfactory conditions for their self-realization. This fact has a significant influence on their willingness to change a job, especially among doctors of young age.