Factors contributing to motivation of volunteer community health workers in Ethiopia: the case of four woredas (districts) in Oromia and Tigray regions
Abstract Background The use of community health workers (CHWs) has been considered as one of the strategies to address the growing shortage of health workers, predominantly in low-income countries. They are playing a pivotal role in lessening health disparities through improving health outcomes for...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Human Resources for Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12960-018-0319-3 |
| _version_ | 1818296985229197312 |
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| author | Habtamu Abdissa Jigssa Binyam Fekadu Desta Hibret Alemu Tilahun Jen McCutcheon Peter Berman |
| author_facet | Habtamu Abdissa Jigssa Binyam Fekadu Desta Hibret Alemu Tilahun Jen McCutcheon Peter Berman |
| author_sort | Habtamu Abdissa Jigssa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The use of community health workers (CHWs) has been considered as one of the strategies to address the growing shortage of health workers, predominantly in low-income countries. They are playing a pivotal role in lessening health disparities through improving health outcomes for underserved populations. Yet, little is known about what factors motivate and drive them to continue working as CHWs. In this study, we aimed to examine factors contributing to the motivation of volunteer CHWs (vCHWs) in Ethiopia currently known as one-to-five network leaders (1to5NLs) and explore variations between attributes of social and work-related determinants. Method We conducted a cross-sectional study in four selected woredas (the second lowest administrative structure in Ethiopia, and similar to a district) of Oromia and Tigray regions and interviewed 786 1to5NLs. The effects of each motivational factor were explored using percentage of respondents who agreed and strongly agreed to each of them and Mann-Whitney U test. Results Individual, community, and health system factors contributed to the motivation of 1to5NLs in this study. Intrinsic desire to have a good status in the community as a result of their volunteer service (81.86%) followed by a commitment to serve the community (81.61%) and to gain satisfaction by accomplishing something worthwhile to the community (81.61%) were some of the factors motivating 1to5NLs in our study. Despite these motivational items, factors such as lack of career development (51.47%), unclear health development army guideline (59.26%), limited supervision and support (62.32%), and lack of recognition and appreciation of accomplishments (63.22%) were the factors negatively affecting motivation of 1to5NLs. Lack of career development, limited supervision and support, and lack of recognition and appreciation of accomplishments were significantly varied between attributes of educational level, marital status, service year as 1to5NLs, and previous volunteer engagement (at P < 0.05). Conclusion Findings of our study indicated that non-financial incentives such as the creation of career development models is the key to motivating and retaining CHWs where they are not receiving stipends. Sustainability of CHW program should consider exploring enhanced innovations to strengthen supportive supervision, development of better mechanisms to publicize the role of CHWs, and improvement of recognition and appreciation schemes for CHWs’ efforts and accomplishments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T04:12:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e05b20227f014510b48e341e8e037de3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1478-4491 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T04:12:14Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Human Resources for Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-e05b20227f014510b48e341e8e037de32022-12-21T23:59:59ZengBMCHuman Resources for Health1478-44912018-11-0116111110.1186/s12960-018-0319-3Factors contributing to motivation of volunteer community health workers in Ethiopia: the case of four woredas (districts) in Oromia and Tigray regionsHabtamu Abdissa Jigssa0Binyam Fekadu Desta1Hibret Alemu Tilahun2Jen McCutcheon3Peter Berman4International Division, John Snow Research and Training Institute, Inc.International Division, John Snow Research and Training Institute, Inc.Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthInternational Division, John Snow Research and Training Institute, Inc.Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthAbstract Background The use of community health workers (CHWs) has been considered as one of the strategies to address the growing shortage of health workers, predominantly in low-income countries. They are playing a pivotal role in lessening health disparities through improving health outcomes for underserved populations. Yet, little is known about what factors motivate and drive them to continue working as CHWs. In this study, we aimed to examine factors contributing to the motivation of volunteer CHWs (vCHWs) in Ethiopia currently known as one-to-five network leaders (1to5NLs) and explore variations between attributes of social and work-related determinants. Method We conducted a cross-sectional study in four selected woredas (the second lowest administrative structure in Ethiopia, and similar to a district) of Oromia and Tigray regions and interviewed 786 1to5NLs. The effects of each motivational factor were explored using percentage of respondents who agreed and strongly agreed to each of them and Mann-Whitney U test. Results Individual, community, and health system factors contributed to the motivation of 1to5NLs in this study. Intrinsic desire to have a good status in the community as a result of their volunteer service (81.86%) followed by a commitment to serve the community (81.61%) and to gain satisfaction by accomplishing something worthwhile to the community (81.61%) were some of the factors motivating 1to5NLs in our study. Despite these motivational items, factors such as lack of career development (51.47%), unclear health development army guideline (59.26%), limited supervision and support (62.32%), and lack of recognition and appreciation of accomplishments (63.22%) were the factors negatively affecting motivation of 1to5NLs. Lack of career development, limited supervision and support, and lack of recognition and appreciation of accomplishments were significantly varied between attributes of educational level, marital status, service year as 1to5NLs, and previous volunteer engagement (at P < 0.05). Conclusion Findings of our study indicated that non-financial incentives such as the creation of career development models is the key to motivating and retaining CHWs where they are not receiving stipends. Sustainability of CHW program should consider exploring enhanced innovations to strengthen supportive supervision, development of better mechanisms to publicize the role of CHWs, and improvement of recognition and appreciation schemes for CHWs’ efforts and accomplishments.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12960-018-0319-3Community health workersHealth Development ArmyOne-to-five network leadersMotivationVolunteerEthiopia |
| spellingShingle | Habtamu Abdissa Jigssa Binyam Fekadu Desta Hibret Alemu Tilahun Jen McCutcheon Peter Berman Factors contributing to motivation of volunteer community health workers in Ethiopia: the case of four woredas (districts) in Oromia and Tigray regions Human Resources for Health Community health workers Health Development Army One-to-five network leaders Motivation Volunteer Ethiopia |
| title | Factors contributing to motivation of volunteer community health workers in Ethiopia: the case of four woredas (districts) in Oromia and Tigray regions |
| title_full | Factors contributing to motivation of volunteer community health workers in Ethiopia: the case of four woredas (districts) in Oromia and Tigray regions |
| title_fullStr | Factors contributing to motivation of volunteer community health workers in Ethiopia: the case of four woredas (districts) in Oromia and Tigray regions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors contributing to motivation of volunteer community health workers in Ethiopia: the case of four woredas (districts) in Oromia and Tigray regions |
| title_short | Factors contributing to motivation of volunteer community health workers in Ethiopia: the case of four woredas (districts) in Oromia and Tigray regions |
| title_sort | factors contributing to motivation of volunteer community health workers in ethiopia the case of four woredas districts in oromia and tigray regions |
| topic | Community health workers Health Development Army One-to-five network leaders Motivation Volunteer Ethiopia |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12960-018-0319-3 |
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