Job satisfaction among primary health care workers in three selected local government areas in South Western Nigeria

Abstract

The primary health care system in Nigeria has been impaired by lack of dedicated workers who are willing to work in the rural areas. This study was carried out to examine factors that enhance job satisfaction among health workers in the primary health care system in Nigeria. The study is a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in May 2002. The respondents were selected from three local government areas in southwest Nigeria by multistage sampling technique. A standardized structured pre-coded close-ended self-administered questionnaire to collect relevant information on their socio-demographic characteristics and extent of job satisfaction of respondents. A total of 125 health workers were interviewed in all. The mean score on job satisfaction was 26.15 out of the total possible score of 49. There was no statistically significant relationship in job satisfaction among the various cadres of health workers considered (p = 0.824). A larger proportion (66.4%) of the health workers were involved with the community based preventive services when compared with the health centre based curative care 33.4% (p < 0.05), there is however no significant difference in satisfaction between this two groups of personnel (p = 0.133). Age and marital status were found to be statistically significant in relation to job satisfaction (p = 0.000 and 0.034 respectively). The study shows no significant difference in job satisfaction among the various cadres of health workers in southwest Nigeria. However age and marital status were found to be significant factors influencing job satisfaction among the primary health care workers in Nigeria.