What happened to health labour markets during COVID-19? Insights from the analysis of cross-sectional survey data on the perceptions of medical doctors in Brazil
Objectives To examine physicians’ perceptions of changing employment opportunities in Brazil, and gain an insight into labour markets in low/middle-income countries (LMICs) during the pandemic.Study design Descriptive and inferential analysis of a quantitative dataset from a representative cross-sec...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2023-08-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/8/e075458.full |
| _version_ | 1797746060499615744 |
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| author | Alex J Flores Cassenote Giuliano Russo Mário C Scheffer Bruno Luciano Carneiro Alves Luciano de Oliveira |
| author_facet | Alex J Flores Cassenote Giuliano Russo Mário C Scheffer Bruno Luciano Carneiro Alves Luciano de Oliveira |
| author_sort | Alex J Flores Cassenote |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives To examine physicians’ perceptions of changing employment opportunities in Brazil, and gain an insight into labour markets in low/middle-income countries (LMICs) during the pandemic.Study design Descriptive and inferential analysis of a quantitative dataset from a representative cross-sectional survey of physicians of two Brazilian states.Settings São Paulo and Maranhão states in Brazil.Participants Representative sample of 1183 physicians.Outcome measures We estimated prevalence and 95% CIs for physicians’ perceptions of changes in demand and supply of doctors, as well as changes in prices of medical services for facilities of practice in the two states, stratified by public, private and dual-practice physicians.Results Most doctors reported increased job opportunities in the public sector (54.9%, 95% CI 52.0% to 57.7%), particularly in Maranhão state (65.0%, 95% CI 60.9% to 68.9%). For the private sector, increased opportunities were reported only in large private hospitals (46.7%, 95% CI 43.9% to 49.6%) but not in smaller clinics. We recorded perceptions of slight increases in availability of doctors in Maranhão, particularly in the public sector (51.4%, 95% CI 43.2% to 59.5%). Younger doctors recounted increased vacancies in the public sector (64%, 95% CI 58.1% to 68.1%), older doctors only in walk-in clinics in Maranhão (47.5%, 95% CI 39.9% to 55.1%). Those working directly with patients with COVID-19 saw opportunities in public hospitals (65%, 95% CI 62.3% to 68.4%) and in large private ones (55%, 95% CI 51.8% to 59.1%).Conclusions Our findings hint that health labour markets in LMICs may not necessarily shrink during epidemics, and that impacts will depend on the balance of public and private services in national health systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:32:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-af0cb15562c74a7b83b10824cc8988e2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:32:42Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-af0cb15562c74a7b83b10824cc8988e22023-08-10T02:35:07ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552023-08-0113810.1136/bmjopen-2023-075458What happened to health labour markets during COVID-19? Insights from the analysis of cross-sectional survey data on the perceptions of medical doctors in BrazilAlex J Flores Cassenote0Giuliano Russo1Mário C Scheffer2Bruno Luciano Carneiro Alves Luciano de Oliveira3Medicina Preventiva, Universidade de Sao Paulo Faculdade de Medicina, Sao Paulo, BrazilCentre for Primary Care and Public Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, United KingdomDepartamento de Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilCurso de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Maranhao, Sao Luis, Maranhão, BrazilObjectives To examine physicians’ perceptions of changing employment opportunities in Brazil, and gain an insight into labour markets in low/middle-income countries (LMICs) during the pandemic.Study design Descriptive and inferential analysis of a quantitative dataset from a representative cross-sectional survey of physicians of two Brazilian states.Settings São Paulo and Maranhão states in Brazil.Participants Representative sample of 1183 physicians.Outcome measures We estimated prevalence and 95% CIs for physicians’ perceptions of changes in demand and supply of doctors, as well as changes in prices of medical services for facilities of practice in the two states, stratified by public, private and dual-practice physicians.Results Most doctors reported increased job opportunities in the public sector (54.9%, 95% CI 52.0% to 57.7%), particularly in Maranhão state (65.0%, 95% CI 60.9% to 68.9%). For the private sector, increased opportunities were reported only in large private hospitals (46.7%, 95% CI 43.9% to 49.6%) but not in smaller clinics. We recorded perceptions of slight increases in availability of doctors in Maranhão, particularly in the public sector (51.4%, 95% CI 43.2% to 59.5%). Younger doctors recounted increased vacancies in the public sector (64%, 95% CI 58.1% to 68.1%), older doctors only in walk-in clinics in Maranhão (47.5%, 95% CI 39.9% to 55.1%). Those working directly with patients with COVID-19 saw opportunities in public hospitals (65%, 95% CI 62.3% to 68.4%) and in large private ones (55%, 95% CI 51.8% to 59.1%).Conclusions Our findings hint that health labour markets in LMICs may not necessarily shrink during epidemics, and that impacts will depend on the balance of public and private services in national health systems.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/8/e075458.full |
| spellingShingle | Alex J Flores Cassenote Giuliano Russo Mário C Scheffer Bruno Luciano Carneiro Alves Luciano de Oliveira What happened to health labour markets during COVID-19? Insights from the analysis of cross-sectional survey data on the perceptions of medical doctors in Brazil BMJ Open |
| title | What happened to health labour markets during COVID-19? Insights from the analysis of cross-sectional survey data on the perceptions of medical doctors in Brazil |
| title_full | What happened to health labour markets during COVID-19? Insights from the analysis of cross-sectional survey data on the perceptions of medical doctors in Brazil |
| title_fullStr | What happened to health labour markets during COVID-19? Insights from the analysis of cross-sectional survey data on the perceptions of medical doctors in Brazil |
| title_full_unstemmed | What happened to health labour markets during COVID-19? Insights from the analysis of cross-sectional survey data on the perceptions of medical doctors in Brazil |
| title_short | What happened to health labour markets during COVID-19? Insights from the analysis of cross-sectional survey data on the perceptions of medical doctors in Brazil |
| title_sort | what happened to health labour markets during covid 19 insights from the analysis of cross sectional survey data on the perceptions of medical doctors in brazil |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/8/e075458.full |
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