Opinion of the Population of Tunis about the physician social image

Abstract

Background : The image of the Tunisian doctor seems to have lost some of its aura and social value.
Aim: To evaluate the medical profession’s social image and to identify the reasons of a possible dissatisfaction by interviewing a sample of 200 adults in the District of Tunis.
Methods: Population was selected according to the method of quotas depending of sex, age and instruction degree. One hundred and ninety nine persons aged 20 years and above were included.
Collection of data was made by an interview and included 4 items: identification of respondent, expected qualities of medical doctor, satisfaction level regarding health services, comparison between general medicine and specialists. Chi-2 test was done for comparison of proportions. In order to classify professions according to income and prestige a score was calculated. It ranged from 10% (10th rank) to
100% (1st rank).
Results: Patience and availability were quoted as particularly essential requirements in a doctor. Yet only 35.7% of the interviewees reported being satisfied by their doctor’s qualities. A general dissatisfaction regarding health services was also noted. Our sample’s perception of professional prestige rated industrials over
doctors by placing them in first position. With regards to the perception of best-paid jobs, doctors were classed third after industrials and important traders.
Conclusion: In order to counter these deficiencies and to preserve doctors’ social image and their place in society, it is imperative to change our understanding of their training and recycling and also to improve their purchasing power as it is the unquestionable guarantee of the preservation and durability of their public image.