ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Happiness is related to both positive and negative forces. Positive factors, or happiers, that compensate for stressors in residency have only recently been recognized in a pilot study of 14 family practice residents. These happiers are positivism, the pursuit of goals, relationships, a religious belief system, and feedback. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe happiers of residency in family practice in each postgraduate year and relate the findings to established theories on well-being. METHODS: A qualitative interview with participant observation was used to study 59 residents at four family practice residency sites. Interviews were semistructured and audiotaped. Tapes and field notes were analyzed for trends. The Faces Scale was administered as a happiness visual analog scale. RESULTS: The importance of a well-balanced lifestyle, as well as the pursuit of goals, relationships, and accentuation of the positive, were found to be happiers for all residents interviewed. Religious commitment, feedback, and a sense of control or autonomy were important to the level of happiness of more than 60 percent of residents interviewed. Feedback was more important to 1st-year residents, and a sense of control was more important to 2nd-year and 3rd-year residents. CONCLUSION: The seven happiers described in this study were similar to happiness factors reported in the social science literature. Our findings could contribute to theories of resident well-being and further the research on well-being in residency training.
Subject(s)
Happiness , Internship and Residency , Physicians, Family/psychology , Achievement , Adult , Biofeedback, Psychology , Female , Humans , Interpersonal Relations , Male , Physicians, Family/education , Pilot Projects , ReligionABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study investigated Iowa dental hygienists' perceptions about education, practice, and licensure regarding issues related to self-regulation. Furthermore, it was the purpose of the study to determine if these perceptions were statistically related to membership in the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA). METHODS: In October 1992, 150 Iowa dental hygienists were randomly selected to participate in a mail survey. The questionnaire included items on self-regulation, licensure, practice, supervision, delivery systems, and independent practice. Responses were analyzed by frequency distributions and the chi-square statistic. RESULTS: Ninety responses were received, representing 80% of the 112 subjects with valid Iowa addresses, but only 60% of the selected sample. Of the 36 variables analyzed, only two were statistically significantly different by ADHA membership. Thus, data were combined and reported for all respondents. The majority of Iowa dental hygienists (71.6%) believed dental hygiene was pursuing self-regulation to improve quality of care. They wanted more dental hygiene representation on licensure boards and almost 50% wanted separate boards. The majority of respondents favored control of dental hygiene practice and 70% wanted alternatives to the current dental hygiene care delivery system. Most respondents stated general supervision and independent practice would increase access to oral healthcare without increasing patients' risk of health problems. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of Iowa dental hygienists support the dental hygiene profession's goal of self-regulation. ADHA members and nonmembers have similar attitudes and opinions about dental hygiene self-regulation, licensure, delivery systems, and practice.
