• Susan Wilhelmsson, Mats Foldevi, Ingemar Akerlind, and Tomas Faresjö.
• Department of Medicine and Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University Sweden. susan.wilhelmsson@lio.se
• Scand J Prim Health Care. 2002 Jun 1; 20 (2): 74-8.

ObjectiveThe aim was to analyse gender and occupational differences in the psychosocial working conditions of general practitioners (GPs) and district nurses (DNs) in Sweden.DesignA stratified random sample of GPs (n = 566) and DNs (n = 554) from four county councils in Sweden. The overall participation rate was 83%.SettingPrimary health care.Main Outcome MeasuresA mailed questionnaire comprising 10 items providing demographic data and 36 items on psychosocial working conditions was used. The questionnaire had been tested for validity and reliability. A factor analysis included five items: strains and symptoms, professional content, social support at work, workload and job control.ResultsProfessional content was the most positively rated aspect, whereas workload was the most negatively rated. GPs perceived a higher workload and lower social support than did the DNs. Female GPs scored significantly more negatively than both male GPs and female DNs did in four out of the five factors. Female GPs reported a high workload, low job control and low social support at work. Female DNs, too, reported a high workload, relatively low job control but fairly strong social support.ConclusionFemale GPs perceived more unfavourable psychosocial working conditions than both male GPs and female DNs did in the same organisational setting.

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