Public health leadership competency level among health professionals in a South Eastern European country

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the current and the required leadership competency level of health professionals in Albania, employing a recently established international instrument. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted in Albania in July-December 2014 including a representative sample of 267 health professionals (162 men and 105 women; mean age: 44.7±10.3 years; overall response rate: 89%). A structured questionnaire was administered to all health professionals aiming at self-assessing the current level of leadership competencies and the required (desirable) level of leadership competencies for their current job position. The questionnaire included 52 items grouped into eight subscales/domains. Answers for each item of the tool ranged from 1 (“minimal competency level”) to 5 (“maximal competency level”). An overall summary score (range: 52-260) and a subscale summary score for each domain were calculated for both the current and the required leadership competency levels. Wilcoxon signed ranks test was employed to compare the overall scores and the subscale scores of the current and the required level of leadership competencies among health professionals. Results: Mean value of the overall summary score for the 52 items of the instrument was significantly lower for the current leadership competency level compared with the required leadership competency level (138.4±11.2 vs. 159.7±25.3, respectively; P<0.001). Most of the subscales’ scores were significantly higher for the required than for the current leadership competency level. Conclusion: Our study provides useful evidence about the current and the required level of leadership competencies among health professionals in transitional Albania. Findings of this study may help policymakers in Albania to identify the gap between the required and the current level of leadership competencies among health professionals. Furthermore, findings of this study should be expanded in the neighbouring countries of the South Eastern European region and beyond.