Publication: Health Worker Attitudes toward Rural Service in India : Results from Qualitative Research
Date
2010-11
ISSN
Published
2010-11
Author(s)
Rao, Krishna D.
Ramani, Sudha
Murthy, Seema
Hazarika, Indrajit
Khandpur, Neha
Chokshi, Maulik
Khanna, Saujanya
Vujicic, Marko
Berman, Peter
Ryan, Mandy
Abstract
The paucity of qualified health workers
in rural areas is a critical challenge for India's
health sector. Although state governments have instituted
several mechanisms, salary and non-salary, to attract health
workers to rural areas, individually these mechanisms
typically focus on single issues (e.g. salary). This
qualitative study explores the career preferences of
under-training and in-service doctors and nurses and
identifies factors important to them to take up rural
service. It then develops a framework for clustering these
complex attributes into potential ?incentive packages for
better rural recruitment and retention. The study was
carried out in two geographically diverse Indian states,
Uttarakhand and Andhra Pradesh. A total of 80 in-depth
interviews were conducted with a variety of participants:
medical students (undergraduate, postgraduate, and Indian
system of medicine), nursing students, and doctors and
nurses in primary health centers. The information collected
was clustered by constructing several hierarchical displays,
and collated into job-attribute matrixes. The findings
indicate that, while financial and educational incentives
attract doctors and nurses to rural postings, they do not
make effective retention strategies. Frustration among rural
health workers often stems from the lack of infrastructure,
support staff, and drugs, a feeling exasperated by local
political interference and lack of security.
Citation
“Rao, Krishna D.; Ramani, Sudha; Murthy, Seema; Hazarika, Indrajit; Khandpur, Neha; Chokshi, Maulik; Khanna, Saujanya; Vujicic, Marko; Berman, Peter; Ryan, Mandy. 2010. Health Worker Attitudes toward Rural Service in India : Results from Qualitative Research. Health, Nutrition and Population (HNP)
discussion paper;. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/ee79c698-a4f3-59c6-956e-64ef175ddaa6 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”