Assessing the job preferences of public health specialist doctors: a discrete choice experiment

Public health specialists (PHSs) are responsible for developing and implementing health promotion policies and can contribute to healthcare delivery at all levels. Discrete choice experiments (DCEs) can inform policy by identifying healthcare professionals' job preferences and the trade-offs they are willing to make between job attributes. This study aimed to investigate job preferences among PHSs, including trade-offs between job attributes and the probability of choosing specific job scenarios.

This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 183 PHSs. Job attributes and levels were determined through a literature review and semistructured interviews with specialists. The questionnaire was administered online. A mixed logit model was used to estimate preferences for different attribute levels. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify subgroups with similar preference patterns. Simulations of job uptake probabilities were also conducted and willingness-to-pay (WTP) estimates were calculated.

Five of the six job attributes significantly influenced preferences, ranked as follows: proximity to family/friends, working environment, salary, developmental status of the workplace, and managerial position. LCA indicated that preference weights varied across subgroups defined by sociodemographic and professional characteristics.

In addition to monetary incentives, ensuring proximity to family and providing a supportive working environment appear to be the most effective strategies for improving the employment of PHSs. Financial incentives are particularly important for managerial roles, especially among junior PHSs without prior managerial experience.