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Associations between rural background and where South Australian general practitioners work
D Wilkinson1, J J Beilby, D J Thompson
1South Australian Centre for Rural and Remote Health, University of Adelaide, SA. david.wilkinson@unisa.edu.au
The Medical Journal of Australia
|September 9, 2000
Summary
General practitioners (GPs) with a rural background are more likely to practice rurally. Policies promoting rural students and supporting their partners are recommended to boost rural GP numbers.
Area of Science:
- Medical Practice
- Rural Health
- General Practice
Background:
- General Practitioners (GPs) are crucial for healthcare delivery in both rural and urban settings.
- Understanding factors influencing practice location is vital for addressing healthcare workforce distribution.
- A rural background may influence a GP's decision to practice in a rural area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between a rural background and the practice location of General Practitioners (GPs).
- To identify demographic, training, and background characteristics associated with rural practice among GPs.
Main Methods:
- A comparative analysis of data from two postal surveys.
- Involved 268 rural and 236 urban GPs practicing in South Australia.
- Examined associations between practice location and various GP characteristics.
Main Results:
- Rural GPs were younger, more likely to be male, Australian-born, and have partners and children compared to urban GPs.
- While training origins were similar, rural GPs were more likely to be vocationally registered.
- Key independent predictors for rural practice included primary education in a rural area and having a partner of rural background.
Conclusions:
- Findings support policies encouraging medical students with rural backgrounds.
- Policies addressing the needs of partners and maintaining rural primary/secondary education are advocated.
- These strategies aim to increase the number of GPs practicing in rural areas.