Usha Rout

JOB STRESS AMONG BRITISH GENERAL PRACTITIONERS: PREDICTORS OF JOB DISSATISFACTION AND MENTAL ILL‐HEALTH

SUMMARY Questionnaires assessing levels of job satisfaction, mental well-being and sources of stress were distributed to a random sample of 850 general practitioners (GPs) in England. The final sample size was 414. Compared to a normative sample, male GPs exhibit significantly higher levels of anxiety, whereas female GPs compare favourably to the population norms. Job satisfaction levels among male and female GPs were significantly lower than when they were measured in 1987. Multivariate analysis revealed five major stressors that were predictive of high levels of job dissatisfaction and negative mental well-being; these were practice administration and demands of the job, interference with family and social life, routine medical work, interruptions and working environment. In addition, emotional involvement and type A behaviour were predictive of lack of mental well-being. It is concluded that there may be substantial benefit in providing training in management skills and introducing a stress management programme for GPs.

British South Asian women managers and professionals: experiences of work and family

Even though an increasing number of British South Asian women have moved into paid employment over the years as a reflection of social and cultural mobility and change, their work‐family experiences are not widely reported. This paper examines the experiences of British South Asian full‐time managerial or professional women combining work and family life. A qualitative study based in the north‐west of England was conducted utilising semi‐structured interviews with 17 women. Five themes are discussed: cultural influences on domestic responsibilities; additional responsibilities and commitments to extended family and community members; work‐family priorities and “superwoman syndrome”; stereotypes of roles and responsibilities at work; and experiences of discrimination. Managerial or professional British South Asian women are subjected to the same cultural family commitments and expectations as other non‐professional British South Asian working women. Practical implications of the findings are related to managing diversity approaches and organisational culture change.

Job Stress among General Practitioners and Nurses in Primary Care in England

This is a description comparing job stress, job satisfaction, and mental well-being of general practitioners (n = 205) and practice nurses (n = 119) in England, based on responses to a questionnaire. General practitioners reported lower job satisfaction and significantly greater pressure at work than did the practice nurses. Also, male general practitioners had significantly higher scores on anxiety and depression than a British normative population. Practice nurses, on the other hand, reported lower scores on anxiety and depression. The results should be interpreted with caution as the study is based on a small sample limited to the northwest region only; however, it does provide information which has important implications for the well-being of doctors and nurses in primary care.

Work and Family Roles: Indian Career Women in India and the West:

This study examines Indian career womens work and family roles, sources of stress, ways of coping, and well-being in the light of cultural expectations in India and the West. A number of different instruments were included to measure job satisfaction, mental health, job stressors, coping behavior, demographic characteristics, domestic responsibility and satisfaction. Data were collected, using two earner stressor questionnaires (a coping behavior questionnaire and a mental health and job satisfaction questionnaire), from 100 career women in India and 60 in the US (New York) and England. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 career women in India and 15 women in England. The results showed that women in India had more somatic symptoms than those in the West, who expressed their anxiety directly rather than suppressing it. Fewer women in India than in the West reported that they shared responsibilities for domestic work and child care with their spouses. Major work-family pressures are similar for women in both groups: overload, time pressures, constant fatigue, work interfering with relations with children, and guilt and anxiety over children while at work. Lifestyle differences between women in India and the West nevertheless exist and may impinge in various ways on womens experiences of work and family. Although this study has led to many interesting findings, the results are still inconclusive and should be treated with caution. Due to the small size of the sample, this study needs further broadening, as it should incorporate the experiences of non-Western women, including those living at the junction of two cultures.

Working and non‐working mothers: a comparative study

Expands on research which has demonstrated that employment has positive or neutral effects on women’s health. This pilot study examines whether these positive effects could also be found in employed mothers by comparing working mothers with non‐working mothers on measures of mental health, self‐esteem, and mother role satisfaction. Also this study assesses the stress experienced by these mothers and examines the coping strategies used by them. Of the 200 questionnaires distributed, 101 were returned giving a 50.5 per cent return rate of which 78 per cent were working mothers and 22 per cent non‐working mothers. The working mothers had better mental health and reported less depression than the non‐working mothers. The most frequently reported source of stress for working mothers was not having enough time to do everything, whereas for non‐working mothers lack of social life was a major stressor. The findings of this study support the expansion hypothesis, which emphasizes the benefits rather than the costs of multiple role involvement.

Diagnosis and treatment of depression by general practitioners in England.

This paper describes a preliminary study of diagnosis and treatment of depression by general practitioners in England. They regarded primary care depression as a reactive mood disorder with both physical and psychological symptoms and associated with those groups who are most vulnerable to life stressors. Four groups were seen as at risk from depression: elderly persons, menopausal women, young mothers, and those in early adulthood. The practitioners relied primarily on their experience to diagnose depression rather than following any official diagnostic criteria. Although they were in favour of nondrug therapy in treating depression, they mainly practised drug therapy due to time pressure and limited availability of resources.

Occupational stress in women general practitioners and practice managers

Examines the sources of stress associated with high levels of job dissatisfaction and mental health among practice managers and women general practitioners, and compares the job satisfaction, mental health and job stress among practice managers and women general practitioners. Women general practitioners (n = 75) and practice managers (n = 51) completed anonymous questionnaires. Lack of communication and co‐operation between colleagues and staff were the main sources of dissatisfaction and lack of mental wellbeing for both groups. In addition, wishful thinking coping factor was predictive of job dissatisfaction and mental ill‐health. There was no significant difference between practice managers and women general practitioners on the mental health scale. Women general practitioners experienced less job satisfaction with regard to the amount of work, and hours of work than the practice managers. There may be substantial benefit in initiating a support network system for these professionals.