Factors influencing turnover intention among primary care doctors: a cross-sectional study in Chongqing, China

BACKGROUND: The intention to leave a job, known as turnover intention, among primary care doctors has a significant impact on primary health care service delivery. We investigated primary care doctors’ turnover intention and analysed associated factors involved in primary health facilities in Chongqing, China. METHODS: A total of 440 doctors were interviewed, they were selected using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method. The survey instrument was a self-administered questionnaire which assessed socio-demographic and work-related characteristics, job satisfaction and turnover intention. The data were analysed using χ(2) test, one-way analysis of variance, exploratory factor analysis and linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Our study found that 42.3% of the primary care doctors we sampled in Chongqing, China, intended to resign. Location, age, job title, doctor’s position level, work pressure and job satisfaction were associated with turnover intention. Job satisfaction included both employment-related job satisfaction (including “your chance of promotion”, “your rate of pay” and two other items) and satisfaction with the job itself (including “the freedom to choose your own method of working”, “your job safety” and two other items). CONCLUSIONS: Improving job satisfaction, in terms of salary, promotion and job safety, is crucial for reducing turnover intention among primary care doctors. Therefore, we suggest that the government increase its financial investment in primary care facilities, especially in less-developed areas, and reform incentive mechanisms to improve the job satisfaction of primary care doctors. The government should consider policies such as establishing a social pension programme for village-level doctors and providing more opportunities for job promotion among primary care doctors, especially township-level doctors. Attention should also be paid to the impact of rapid urbanization, which could lead to increased workload or increased opportunities for career development, thus affecting primary care doctors’ turnover intention.