The field of veterinary medicine is characterized by a variety of challenging working conditions. The alarmingly low mental well-being of veterinarians has been examined from various perspectives. However, the influence of work location on the well-being of veterinary professionals has scarcely been investigated. The aim of the study was therefore to analyze the well-being of German veterinarians and to determine whether there is a correlation between well-being and work location.
As part of a cross-sectional study, 999 veterinary professionals answered questions regarding their work location (self-designed questions) and well-being (WHO-Five Well-being Index, WHO-5). A differentiation was made according to work location: urban cities (population > 100,000), medium/small cities (population < 100,000 inhabitants), and rural areas.
Overall, the surveyed veterinarians had low well-being (ranging from 56.8% in rural areas to 61.3% in medium/small towns). The results of the general linear model indicated a significant difference in the WHO total score among veterinarians from different work locations (
According to the results, work location does not seem to have a significant influence on the well-being of veterinarians and therefore may be of lower priority in the development and implementation of interventions. However, further investigation of work-related predictors of the mental health of veterinarians is recommended, as the results indicate a low well-being among these professionals.