Factors affecting the job performance of health workers in public health facilities of Tororo District, Uganda.

Abstract

Background: Human resource costs are one of the top most costs in health care facilities, however, comparatively little effort is invested to follow up their performance to ensure value for money for the Health system and patients. This study therefore assessed the factors affecting the job performance of health care workers in Tororo district to inform human resources for health policies, plans and legal frameworks. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting the job performance of health workers in public health facilities of Tororo District, Uganda. Methods: This was a cross sectional descriptive and exploratory research conducted in public health facilities of Tororo district. The sample size of 197 respondents from HCIIIs, HCIVs and the district hospital was determined using Kish Leslie formula at 95% confidence level. Data was analyzed using STATA SE version 14. Ten Key informant interviews were conducted with frontline health care workers and health service managers. The qualitative data was analyzed through Manual Thematic content analysis before interpretation, presentation and discussion. The relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable was established using Poisson regression analysis at bivariate and multivariate levels. Results: 182 respondents participated in the study, (67%) were female, (57.7%) were rural based health workers, (28%) were aged 30 to 39, and (46.7%) had attained at least a certificate level of education. By facility level, (41.2%) were from HCIIIs. (75.8%) were married and (54.4%) had spent between 1 and 10 years in service. Job performance was good across all the public health facilities with more than half of the health workers performing well. The general hospital (60.9%), HCIIIs (54.7%) and HCIV (51.2%). The multivariate analyses found that the construct of Job motivation was significantly associated with the job performance. The prevalence of good performance among motivated health workers was 1.41 times that among the non-motivated workers. APRR 1.41(95%CI=1.08-1.85)

Conclusion: Creation of flexible HR policies that allow for recruitment to curb the heavy workload/staff shortages and strengthening the Performance management system in health services can increase job motivation and improve health workers’ performance. The findings suggest that organizational support through Job motivation is a driver of good performance among health workers in Public health facilities