Study of the peculiarities of the structure and leading factors of motivation among general practitioners – family doctors

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the peculiarities of the structure and leading factors of motivation according to F. Herzberg theory among general practitioners (GPs) depending on gender and age. Research materials and methods. The research was conducted among 80 GPs according to F. Herzberg methodology, which contained 30 statements. The Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney methods were used to analyze and compare responses by gender, age, and total length of GPs service. Statistical analysis was performed using the statistical analysis package MedCalc v.19.4.1 (MedCalc Software Inc, Broekstraat, Belgium, 1993–2020). Results of the research. The study determined reliable differences in the assessment of hygienic factors in the structure of motivation depending on gender. In the female group, the median scores of all hygiene factors are significantly higher than in the male group (p<0.05). Among the hygienic factors, the factor “attitude of colleagues” was most important for all doctors, and for male physicians it was “attitude of colleagues and management”. Among the hygienic factors, the “salary” factor had the least importance both for female and male physicians. The median scores of motivating factors have significant differences by gender only in the median scores of the “recognition and approval of work results” and “career” factors (p<0.05). In the female physicians’ group, the indicators indicated by the factors are significantly higher than in the male group. The age-related features of doctors’ motivation consist in the presence of differences between doctors of the age group of 61 years and older in the evaluation of motivating and hygienic factors in comparison with the group of 51–60 years. The specified groups differ in the assessment of the motivating factor “responsibility in work (work content)” and the hygienic “management system” (p<0.05). The assessment of the specified factors was higher in the group of 61 years and older. According to the rating, various leading motivating and hygienic factors are determined depending on age. The last place in the motivating factors rating in all age groups is occupied by “professional development” factor, and among hygienic factors by “salary”. The most numerous group according to the structure of motivation was the group of doctors for whom the combination of high motivational ratings on hygienic factors is important (46%), as well as the group for which the combination of low ratings of the specified motivational factors is important (36%). For the last group of employees, developing an effective motivation system in a health care institution can be problematic. Conclusions. In order to create an optimal system of motivation for primary care physicians in primary health care centers, it is necessary to take into account the age and sex characteristics of the leading motivation factors. The results of the study can be useful for the formation of a personnel management strategy based on the gender and age characteristics of GPs motivation.