Lääkäri 2018 : Kyselytutkimus vuosina 2007–2016 valmistuneille lääkäreille

Lääkäri 2018 -tutkimus on osa viiden vuoden välein toistettavaa poikkileikkaustutkimusten sarjaa, joka aloitettiin kolme vuosikymmentä sitten. Tutkimuksen perusjoukkona olivat vuosina 2007–2016 laillistetut lääkärit (N=6 472), joista otokseen valittiin parittomana päivänä syntyneet (n=3 148). Vastausosuus oli 39 %. Vastaajista 85 % oli melko tai erittäin tyytyväisiä ammatinvalintaansa. Lääkärit tunsivat itsensä entistä enemmän työryhmän jäseniksi, ja lähes joka kolmas oli kiinnostunut johtamisesta. Neljäsosa vastanneista oli väitellyt tai teki väitöskirjaa. Peruskoulutuksen osalta tyytyväisyys sairaalatyön opetukseen oli suurempaa kuin tyytyväisyys terveyskeskusopetukseen. Sairaalaopetukseensa tyytyväisimmät olivat valmistuneet Itä-Suomen ja Turun yliopistoista, ja terveyskeskusopetukseen Itä-Suomen ja Tampereen yliopistoista. Lääkärit toivoivat peruskoulutuksen sisältävän enemmän etenkin toiminnanohjauksen taitoja. Erikoistumiskoulutuksessa toteutui parhaiten alan diagnostisten taitojen ja hoitotoimenpiteiden oppiminen. Kehitettävää löytyi erityisesti osaamisen arvioinnin ja oppimistavoitteiden täyttymisen seurannassa. Johtamistaitojen, tutkimus- ja opetustyön sekä terveystalouden opetusta toivottiin lisää. Saman erikoisalan valitsisi vielä 90 % vastanneista. Lääkäri 2018 -tutkimus toteutettiin kaikkien lääketieteellisten tiedekuntien sekä Lääkäriliiton yhteistyönä

The information needs of people with COPD : The holistic approach with special reference to gender and time since diagnosis

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine what kinds of unmet information needs people with COPD have and whether there are differences in information needs between genders or based on the time since COPD diagnosis. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Methods: Data on people with COPD (N = 169) were collected from a two-part questionnaire distributed via website. On the first part, information needs concerning the medical aspects of self-management were measured by the Lung Information Needs Questionnaire (LINQ). On the second part, which was developed specifically for this study, a more holistic view of self-management counselling was sought. Statistical methods were used to analyse the data. Results: The respondents had wide-ranging information needs in many areas of COPD self-management. The most often reported areas of unmet information needs included exacerbations, diet, fatigue, stress and anxiety, palliative care and sexual life. The information needs varied by gender and time since COPD diagnosis.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Factors important in the choice of a medical career: a Finnish national study

Applying for medical school is the first and also one of the most important career choices a physician makes. It is important to understand the reasons behind this decision if we are to choose the best applicants for medical schools and enable them to pursue satisfying careers. Methods Respondents to the Finnish Junior Physician 88, Physician 1998 and Physician 2008 studies were asked: “To what extent did the following factors influence your decision to apply for medical school?” In 1998 and 2008 the respondents were also asked: “If you were starting your studies now, would you start studying medicine?” and had to answer “Yes” or “No”. The odds ratios for the answer “No” were tested using logistic regression models. Results "Interest in people” was the main motive for starting to study medicine. “Good salary” and “Prestigious profession” were more important motives for males and “Vocation” and “Interest in people” for females. There were some significant changes in the motives for entering medicine in the 20-year period between studies. “Vocation” and “Wide range of professional opportunities” as important motives for entering medicine predicted satisfaction with the medical profession. Discussion Strong inner motivation may indicate the ability to adapt to the demands of work as a physician. Conclusions Medical schools should try to select those applicants with the greatest vocational inclination towards a medical career.BioMed Central open acces

Characteristics of hospitalised patients with COPD in the Nordic countries.

To access Publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional LinkThe objective of the present study was to examine differences in the characteristics and management of hospitalised patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to determine factors related to the duration of the hospital stay in the Nordic countries. The study comprised 416 patients from five University Hospitals (Bergen, Reykjavik, Uppsala, Tampere and Copenhagen). The patients were interviewed and spirometry was performed. Psychological status was assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression questionnaire and quality of life with the St. Georges' Hospital Respiratory Questionnaire. The mean age was 69 years, 51% were women. The majority of the patients (76%) had severe COPD (GOLD stage III and IV) and 24% were on long-term oxygen therapy. Forty five % of the patients had cardio-vascular disease and 11% diabetes. In Bergen, Uppsala and Tampere over half of the patients had anxiety and depression but the prevalence of psychiatric co-morbidity was lower in Reykjavik and Copenhagen. The median length of the hospitalisation was 7-8 days in four of the five centres but two times higher in Reykjavik. The independent predictors for a longer hospitalisation was living alone (+3 days), being on long-term oxygen (+8 days) and having diabetes (+5 days). In conclusion, this study revealed substantial differences in the characteristics and management of hospitalised COPD patients between departments of respiratory disease in five Nordic university hospitals. Living alone, concurrent diseases like diabetes and long-term oxygen therapy are predictors of more prolonged hospitalisation periods

Depression, anxiety and health status after hospitalisation for COPD: a multicentre study in the Nordic countries

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldPatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often report anxiety, depression and poor health status, not least if they experience repeated hospitalisations due to acute exacerbations. The aim of this study was to analyse the interrelationships between health status, anxiety, depression and physical status in COPD patients being discharged after hospitalisation. This was a prospective study of 416 patients in five university hospitals in each of the Nordic countries. Data included demographic information, lung function and co-morbidity. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) were applied to all patients. Both anxiety and depression were common among these patients. Anxiety was more common in women than in men (47% vs. 34%, P=0.009) and current smokers had a higher prevalence of both anxiety (54% vs. 37%) and depression (43% vs. 23%) than non-smokers (P<0.01). In general, the studied COPD patients had poor health status, especially those with anxiety, depression or both. Psychological status was independently related to all dimensions of SGRQ. Higher GOLD stages were significantly associated with increasing impairment in health status. In conclusion this multicentre study showed that anxiety and depression are common in patients with COPD, and, furthermore, that patients with psychological disorders have poor health status. Screening for depression and anxiety may help to identify patients with poor quality of life and an urgent need for intervention in order to improve their health status