Abstract
Background: Developing countries are facing acute shortage of human resource in rural/remote areas. Effective management and retention of human resource for health are related to efficient financing and lucrative incentives packages. This study focused on preferred incentives of doctors for working in rural and resource constrained areas of Pakistan. Methods: This study was a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE). Study population (N=107) included final year medical student and fresh graduated doctors in Islamabad. Questionnaire was computer based and data was collected through online database. Results were analyzed using conjoint analysis technique on Stata 11.0 to present the findings. Results: The results showed that mostly young doctors do not prefer to work in rural areas. Preference to opt for rural job posting depended largely on high salary along with study assistance for further education. Other attributes identified as attracting and retaining young doctors for rural job posting included career advancement, improved quality of health facilities, provision of housing allowance and transportation. Conclusion: Study results showed that salary is not the only deciding factor for attracting and retaining health workforce in rural areas. Further education for highly valued and the government should focus on efficient use of available budget to develop a bundle of cadre specific incentives package to attract and retain HR in rural and underserved areas.
Highlights
An optimal health service for improving people’s health is the prime objective of health systems [1] and health workforce is an identified building block for this purpose [2]
Within the health care providers, doctors are considered key to effective supervision and management of health care services, in rural areas [3]
A major chunk had no experience of living or working in rural areas and they preferred not to work in rural areas (Table 1)
Summary
An optimal health service for improving people’s health is the prime objective of health systems [1] and health workforce is an identified building block for this purpose [2]. The World Health Report (WHO, 2006) estimated a global shortage of health workforce of approximately 4.3 million [3]. This shortage was pronounced in 57 countries and Pakistan is one of them. Within the health care providers, doctors are considered key to effective supervision and management of health care services, in rural areas [3]. About one-half of the population is living in rural areas. These areas are served by less than 25% of the total doctor workforce [4]. Developing countries are facing acute shortage of human resource in rural/remote areas.
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