Gonschor C, Pohl R, Woitha U, Thielmann B, Böckelmann I. Well-being of veterinarians in rural and urban areas.
Front Vet Sci 2023;
10:1276229. [PMID:
38033633 PMCID:
PMC10687188 DOI:
10.3389/fvets.2023.1276229]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction
The field of veterinary medicine is characterized by a variety of challenging working conditions. The alarmingly low mental well-being of veterinarians has been examined from various perspectives. However, the influence of work location on the well-being of veterinary professionals has scarcely been investigated. The aim of the study was therefore to analyze the well-being of German veterinarians and to determine whether there is a correlation between well-being and work location.
Methods
As part of a cross-sectional study, 999 veterinary professionals answered questions regarding their work location (self-designed questions) and well-being (WHO-Five Well-being Index, WHO-5). A differentiation was made according to work location: urban cities (population > 100,000), medium/small cities (population < 100,000 inhabitants), and rural areas.
Results
Overall, the surveyed veterinarians had low well-being (ranging from 56.8% in rural areas to 61.3% in medium/small towns). The results of the general linear model indicated a significant difference in the WHO total score among veterinarians from different work locations (p < 0.001). However, when sex, age, type of employment, and field of specialization were included in the analysis, no significant between-subject effects were found.
Conclusion
According to the results, work location does not seem to have a significant influence on the well-being of veterinarians and therefore may be of lower priority in the development and implementation of interventions. However, further investigation of work-related predictors of the mental health of veterinarians is recommended, as the results indicate a low well-being among these professionals.
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