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Gender difference in physician workforce participation in Japan

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  • Kaneto, Chie
  • Toyokawa, Satoshi
  • Inoue, Kazuo
  • Kobayashi, Yasuki

Abstract

Objective To investigate changes in Japanese physician workforce participation over time, with a focus on gender differences in career patterns.Methods Subjects were Japanese physicians who had participated in the biennial national physician survey at least once between 1980 and 2002. Two cohorts of physicians were traced: those who were between 25 and 64 years old and were already on the physician registry as of 1980 (Cohort 1980), and those on the registry as of 1990 (Cohort 1990). Workforce participation rates, as measured by the proportion of physicians working in the field of health care, were calculated for every other year until 2002. Then, 10-year averages for workforce participation rates were calculated and compared by cohort and gender.Results In both cohorts, the workforce participation rates of female physicians revealed a marked decline in their late 20s and 30s; in contrast, those of male physicians remained at a high level until the age of 65. The average workforce participation rate of female physicians was significantly lower than that of male physicians, both in Cohort 1980 and Cohort 1990, and both male and female physicians in Cohort 1990 had a significantly lower average than physicians in Cohort 1980.Conclusions Effective measures should be taken to help physicians continue to work, and especially, to alleviate the decline in workforce participation among young female physicians.

Suggested Citation

  • Kaneto, Chie & Toyokawa, Satoshi & Inoue, Kazuo & Kobayashi, Yasuki, 2009. "Gender difference in physician workforce participation in Japan," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(1), pages 115-123, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:89:y:2009:i:1:p:115-123
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    1. Kodama, Tomoko & Koike, Soichi & Matsumoto, Shinya & Ide, Hiroo & Yasunaga, Hideo & Imamura, Tomoaki, 2012. "The working status of Japanese female physicians by area of practice: Cohort analysis of taking leave, returning to work, and changing specialties from 1984 to 2004," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(2), pages 214-220.
    2. Koichiro Yuji & Seiya Imoto & Rui Yamaguchi & Tomoko Matsumura & Naoko Murashige & Yuko Kodama & Satoru Minayo & Kohzoh Imai & Masahiro Kami, 2012. "Forecasting Japan's Physician Shortage in 2035 as the First Full-Fledged Aged Society," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(11), pages 1-8, November.

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    Keywords

    Physicians Workforce Gender Japan;

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