Tannous Wadad Kathy, Agho Kingsley, Ahmed Moin Uddin, Gill David R J, Johnson Michael
School of Business, Economics, Finance and Property Discipline, Western Sydney University, Parramatta Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2571, Australia.
Translational Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2571, Australia.
BMC Prim Care. 2025 Jun 5;26(1):191. doi: 10.1186/s12875-025-02880-4.
Work-life balance (WLB) and preference for work location among Australian orthopaedic surgeons have been a focal point of research and policy discussions in Australia. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the factors influencing work-life balance among Australian orthopaedic surgeons, and to develop strategies to improve their health and well-being.
An online survey of 288 Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) orthopaedic surgeons was conducted, with data collected during October and November 2021 and was weighted to reduce gender bias. Based on the survey question "What is the main factor that has influenced your choice in your current working location/employment?" three binary outcome variables were considered: (1) work-life balance (WLB), (2) capacity to undertake the surgeons' preferred area of practice in orthopaedic surgery, and (3) availability of a public appointment and/or achieving a desired private/public mix (public job). Outcome variables were analysed using bivariate and multiple survey logistic regression after adjusting for sampling weights and potential confounding factors.
The prevalence of WLB was 16% (95% confidence interval (CI): 12.2-20.7), whereas the prevalence of capacity to undertake the surgeons' preferred area of practice in orthopaedic surgery was 33% (95%CI: 27.8-38.7), and the availability of a public appointment or the desired mix of private and public work was reported at 24.3% (95%CI: 19.7-29.6). Multivariate analyses revealed that WLB was the most commonly selected reason for practice location among outer metropolitan/regional orthopaedic surgeons. Primary decision-making factors varied based on training location, amount of work conducted in the public sector, and state. Surgeon age, gender, and being trained overseas were not related to practice location choice.
Our research indicates that maintaining a healthy work-life balance would allow orthopaedic surgeons in inner regional Australia to work in any location. The growing and accepted use of telehealth, supported by government funding, will be demonstrated on the location of practice by orthopaedic surgeons and other clinicians.
工作与生活的平衡（WLB）以及澳大利亚骨科医生对工作地点的偏好一直是澳大利亚研究和政策讨论的焦点。因此，本研究旨在调查影响澳大利亚骨科医生工作与生活平衡的因素，并制定改善他们健康和福祉的策略。
对288名澳大利亚骨科协会（AOA）的骨科医生进行了在线调查，数据于2021年10月和11月收集，并进行了加权处理以减少性别偏见。基于调查问题“影响您选择当前工作地点/就业的主要因素是什么？”，考虑了三个二元结果变量：（1）工作与生活的平衡（WLB），（2）从事骨科医生首选手术领域的能力，以及（3）获得公共职位和/或实现期望的公私混合比例（公共工作）。在调整抽样权重和潜在混杂因素后，使用双变量和多元调查逻辑回归分析结果变量。
工作与生活平衡的患病率为16%（95%置信区间（CI）：12.2 - 20.7），而从事骨科医生首选手术领域的能力患病率为33%（95%CI：27.8 - 38.7），报告的获得公共职位或期望的公私工作混合比例为24.3%（95%CI：19.7 - 29.6）。多变量分析显示，工作与生活的平衡是大都市外/地区骨科医生选择执业地点最常见的原因。主要决策因素因培训地点、在公共部门开展的工作量和州而异。外科医生的年龄、性别以及在海外接受培训与执业地点选择无关。
我们的研究表明，保持健康的工作与生活平衡将使澳大利亚内陆地区的骨科医生能够在任何地点工作。在政府资金支持下，远程医疗的使用日益增加并被广泛接受，这将在骨科医生和其他临床医生的执业地点得到体现。
