Willingness to work in rural areas and the role of intrinsic versus extrinsic professional motivations - a survey of medical students in Ghana
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Retaining health workers in rural areas is challenging for a number of reasons, ranging from personal preferences to difficult work conditions and low remuneration. This paper assesses the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2011-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
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| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/11/56 |
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| author | Dzodzomenyo Mawuli Nakua Emmanuel Kwansah Janet Asabir Kwesi Gyakobo Mawuli Johnson Jennifer C Kotha Shuda R Agyei-Baffour Peter Snow Rachel C Kruk Margaret E |
| author_facet | Dzodzomenyo Mawuli Nakua Emmanuel Kwansah Janet Asabir Kwesi Gyakobo Mawuli Johnson Jennifer C Kotha Shuda R Agyei-Baffour Peter Snow Rachel C Kruk Margaret E |
| author_sort | Dzodzomenyo Mawuli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Retaining health workers in rural areas is challenging for a number of reasons, ranging from personal preferences to difficult work conditions and low remuneration. This paper assesses the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on willingness to accept postings to deprived areas among medical students in Ghana.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A computer-based survey involving 302 fourth year medical students was conducted from May-August 2009. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between students' willingness to accept rural postings and their professional motivations, rural exposure and family parental professional and educational status (PPES).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Over 85% of students were born in urban areas and 57% came from affluent backgrounds. Nearly two-thirds of students reported strong intrinsic motivation to study medicine. After controlling for demographic characteristics and rural exposure, motivational factors did not influence willingness to practice in rural areas. High family PPES was consistently associated with lower willingness to work in rural areas.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although most Ghanaian medical students are motivated to study medicine by the desire to help others, this does not translate into willingness to work in rural areas. Efforts should be made to build on intrinsic motivation during medical training and in designing rural postings, as well as favour lower PPES students for admission.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T20:42:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0cd41caa78e6410d98daf08c4ed49c4c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T20:42:46Z |
| publishDate | 2011-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-0cd41caa78e6410d98daf08c4ed49c4c2022-12-22T00:51:26ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202011-08-011115610.1186/1472-6920-11-56Willingness to work in rural areas and the role of intrinsic versus extrinsic professional motivations - a survey of medical students in GhanaDzodzomenyo MawuliNakua EmmanuelKwansah JanetAsabir KwesiGyakobo MawuliJohnson Jennifer CKotha Shuda RAgyei-Baffour PeterSnow Rachel CKruk Margaret E<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Retaining health workers in rural areas is challenging for a number of reasons, ranging from personal preferences to difficult work conditions and low remuneration. This paper assesses the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on willingness to accept postings to deprived areas among medical students in Ghana.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A computer-based survey involving 302 fourth year medical students was conducted from May-August 2009. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between students' willingness to accept rural postings and their professional motivations, rural exposure and family parental professional and educational status (PPES).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Over 85% of students were born in urban areas and 57% came from affluent backgrounds. Nearly two-thirds of students reported strong intrinsic motivation to study medicine. After controlling for demographic characteristics and rural exposure, motivational factors did not influence willingness to practice in rural areas. High family PPES was consistently associated with lower willingness to work in rural areas.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although most Ghanaian medical students are motivated to study medicine by the desire to help others, this does not translate into willingness to work in rural areas. Efforts should be made to build on intrinsic motivation during medical training and in designing rural postings, as well as favour lower PPES students for admission.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/11/56Health ManpowerMotivationRural Health ServicesGhana |
| spellingShingle | Dzodzomenyo Mawuli Nakua Emmanuel Kwansah Janet Asabir Kwesi Gyakobo Mawuli Johnson Jennifer C Kotha Shuda R Agyei-Baffour Peter Snow Rachel C Kruk Margaret E Willingness to work in rural areas and the role of intrinsic versus extrinsic professional motivations - a survey of medical students in Ghana BMC Medical Education Health Manpower Motivation Rural Health Services Ghana |
| title | Willingness to work in rural areas and the role of intrinsic versus extrinsic professional motivations - a survey of medical students in Ghana |
| title_full | Willingness to work in rural areas and the role of intrinsic versus extrinsic professional motivations - a survey of medical students in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Willingness to work in rural areas and the role of intrinsic versus extrinsic professional motivations - a survey of medical students in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Willingness to work in rural areas and the role of intrinsic versus extrinsic professional motivations - a survey of medical students in Ghana |
| title_short | Willingness to work in rural areas and the role of intrinsic versus extrinsic professional motivations - a survey of medical students in Ghana |
| title_sort | willingness to work in rural areas and the role of intrinsic versus extrinsic professional motivations a survey of medical students in ghana |
| topic | Health Manpower Motivation Rural Health Services Ghana |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/11/56 |
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