The effects of improving hospital physicians working conditions on patient care: a prospective, controlled intervention study

Table 3 Demographic characteristics for physicians’ group at baseline and for patient groups at baseline and follow-up

			Time	Intervention departments	Control departments	Test for difference
Physicians	Age in years (M,SD)		T1	39.11; 7.6	40.65; 10.7	(t = -0.49; df = 33); n.s.
	Organizational tenure in years (M, SD)		T1	7.42; 4.68	8.14; 8.37	(t = -0.33; df = 35); n.s.
	Gender, male (N,%)		T1	16 (84.2)	10 (52.6)	(Chi ² = 4.39; df = 1); p = .04*
	Position (%)	(1)	T1	6 (31.6)	4 (23.5)	(Chi2 = 0.99; df = 1); n.s.
		(2)	T1	7 (36.8)	5 (29.4)
		(3)	T1	6 (31.6)	8 (47.1)
Inpatients	Age in years (M, SD)		T1	57.56; 17.23	63.71; 15.98	(F = 2.52; df = 697); n.s.
	Age in years (M, SD)		T2	58.37; 17.82	64.24; 16.96	(F = 1.35; df = 890); n.s.
	Length of hospital stay in days (M, SD)		T1	7.44; 7.90	6.86; 5.92	(F = 0.06; df = 649); n.s.
	Length of hospital stay in days (M, SD)		T2	6.48; 7.21	6.41; 5.79	(F = 0.05; df = 851); n.s.
	Gender, male (N,%)		T1	194 (46.85)	169 (58.48)	(Chi ² = 8.73; df = 1); p < .01
			T2	282 (46.53)	137 (48.92)	(Chi² = 0.06; df = 1); n.s.

Note: T1 baseline, T2 follow-up; Physicians T1: N = 38; Patients T1 N = 742 and T2 N = 917; M Mean, SD Standard Deviation, p Significance level; Coding of Position: (1) Department Head & Senior Physicians, (2) Specialists, (3) Assistant Physician (entry level).