The impact of economic factors on migration considerations among Icelandic specialist doctors: a cross-sectional study

BMC Health Services Research

Reidar Tyssen¹  Olaf Aasland²  Kristinn Tómasson³  Ingunn Bjarnadóttir Solberg¹ 

[1] Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O.B. 1111 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway;Department of Health Management and Health Economics, Institute of Health and Society, P.O.B. 1089, 0318 Oslo, Norway;Department of Research and Occupational Health, Administration for Occupational Health and Safety, 110 Reykjavík, Iceland

关键词: Iceland;    Doctors’ job satisfaction;    Cost-containment initiatives;    Economic recession;    Health-care services;    Doctors’ migration;   

Others  :  1134440
DOI  :  10.1186/1472-6963-13-524

 received in 2013-02-07, accepted in 2013-12-05,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Globalization has facilitated the employability of doctors almost anywhere in the world. In recent years, the migration of doctors seems to have increased. However, we lack studies on doctors’ migration from developed countries. Because the economic recession experienced by many countries might have affected the migration of doctors, research on this topic is important for the retention of doctors. Iceland was hit hard by the economic recession in 2008. Therefore, we want to explore how many specialist doctors in Iceland have considered migrating and whether economic factors at work and in private life, such as extensive cost-containment initiatives at work and worries about personal finances, are related to doctors’ migration considerations.

Methods

In 2010, all doctors in Iceland registered with the Icelandic Medical Association were sent an electronic cross-sectional survey by email. The 467 specialists who participated in this study represent 55% of all specialist doctors working in Iceland. Information on doctors’ contemplation of migration was available from responses to the question: “Have you considered moving and working abroad?” The predictor variables in our logistic regression model are perceived cost-containment initiatives at work, stress related to personal finances, experience of working abroad during vacations, job dissatisfaction, job position, age, and gender.

Results

Sixty-three per cent of Iceland’s specialist doctors had considered relocation abroad, 4% were moving in the next year or two, and 33% had not considered relocating. Logistic regression analysis shows that, controlling for age, gender, job position, job satisfaction, and experience of working abroad during vacations, doctors’ migration considerations were significantly affected by their experiences of cost-containment initiatives at work (odds ratio (OR) = 2.0, p < 0.01) and being stressed about personal finances (OR = 1.6, p < 0.001). Age, job satisfaction, and working abroad during vacations also had an effect, whereas job position did not.

Conclusions

Economic factors affect whether specialist doctors in Iceland consider migration. More studies on the effect of economic recession on migration by doctors are needed.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Solberg et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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