Table 2

Job satisfaction scores.

		Mean score (95% CI)

Satisfaction item	P-value	1998^a	2001^a	2004
Colleagues and fellow workers	0.003	5.32 (5.17 to 5.47)	5.36 (5.27 to 5.46)	5.60 (5.52 to 5.67)^b^,^c

Amount of variety in job	<0.001	4.94 (4.79 to 5.09)	4.76 (4.66 to 4.86)	5.06 (4.98 to 5.14)^c

Amount of responsibility given	<0.001	5.04 (4.88 to 5.20)^c	4.57 (4.47 to 4.67)	5.05 (4.96 to 5.14)^c

Physical working conditions	0.154	5.01 (4.86 to 5.16)	4.85 (4.75 to 4.95)	4.91 (4.81 to 5.01)

Opportunity to use abilities	<0.001	4.67 (4.52 to 4.82)^c	4.32 (4.23 to 4.41)	4.85 (4.77 to 4.93)^c

Freedom to choose own method of working	<0.001	4.90 (4.75 to 5.04)^c^,^d	4.37 (4.28 to 4.46)	4.66 (4.58 to 4.75)^c

Remuneration	<0.001	3.52 (3.38 to 3.66)	3.52 (3.43 to 3.62)	4.38 (4.29 to 4.48)^b^,^c

Recognition for good work	<0.001	4.27 (4.13 to 4.41)^c	3.59 (3.50 to 3.68)	4.28 (4.19 to 4.37)^c

Hours of work	<0.001	3.72 (3.58 to 3.85)^c	3.34 (3.25 to 3.43)	3.94 (3.84 to 4.04)^b^,^c

Overall job satisfaction	<0.001	4.67 (4.52 to 4.82)^c	3.95 (3.86 to 4.04)	4.62 (4.53 to 4.70)^c

↵a 1998 and 2001 satisfaction scores adjusted for 2004 distributions of age and sex. Post-hoc multiple comparison tests used to test pairwise differences following significant overall ANOVA.
↵b Higher satisfaction than in 1998 (P < 0.05).
↵c Higher satisfaction than in 2001 (P < 0.05).
↵d Higher satisfaction than in 2004 (P < 0.05).