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Sickness certification difficulties in Ireland--a GP focus group study
- Source :
- Occupational medicine (Oxford, England). 63(5)
- Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- BACKGROUND Sickness certification causes problems for general practitioners (GPs). Difficulty with the assessment of capacity to work, conflict with patients and other non-medical factors have been shown to influence GPs' decision-making. Inadequate leadership and management of certification issues add to GPs' difficulties. AIMS To explore problems associated with sickness certification, as part of a larger mixed method research project exploring GPs' experiences and perceptions of sickness certification in Ireland. METHODS A qualitative study in an urban region of Ireland. A focus group of four male and four female GPs explored problems encountered by GPs in certifying sickness absence. Thematic data analysis was used. RESULTS Three major themes emerged: perception of the sickness certification system, organization of health care and cultural factors in sickness absence behaviour. Employment structures in public and private sectors and lack of communication with other health care providers and employers were identified as complicating sickness certification. CONCLUSIONS GPs encounter a complexity of issues in sick certification and are dissatisfied with their role in certifying sickness absence. Our results open the debate for policy change and development in Ireland.
- Subjects :
- Employment
Male
Certification
Urban Population
Attitude of Health Personnel
media_common.quotation_subject
education
Decision Making
Work Capacity Evaluation
Nursing
General Practitioners
Perception
Surveys and Questionnaires
Health care
Medicine
Humans
Practice Patterns, Physicians'
Qualitative Research
media_common
Physician-Patient Relations
business.industry
Multimethodology
Communication
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Focus Groups
Private sector
Focus group
Work (electrical)
Female
Sick Leave
business
Ireland
Qualitative research
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14718405
- Volume :
- 63
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Occupational medicine (Oxford, England)
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....3f322f1904c111164a58b6b93234bbb9