Abstract:
Background: Health workforces‟ absenteeism is a critical factor affecting health worker
performance and it is being affected by different factors. However absenteeism of health
workforces at their working area and associated factors have not been studied in the country,
specifically in the study area.
Objective: To assess the magnitude of health workforces‟ absenteeism and associated factors in
rural health centers of South West Shoa Zone, Oromia region.
Methods: - Facility based cross-sectional study design supplemented with qualitative inquiry was
used among randomly selected 526 health workforces from six randomly selected districts in
South west Shoa zone, central part of Oromia Regional state. This study was conducted from
August 12- September 02, 2018. The primary data were collected by using self-administered
structured questionnaires and qualitative data were gathered through key informant interview.
The significant association between independent variables and dependent variable was declared at
p-value less or equal to 0.05. Odds ratio along with its 95% confidence interval was estimated to
measure the strength of the association. Qualitative data were analyzed using the content analysis
method by transcribing, coding, grouping, categorizing, abstracting data and triangulated with
quantitative findings.
Results: From 526 sampled health workforces within the zone, 511 had participated in this study,
which provided response rate of 97.15%. The finding of this study determined that the magnitude
of health workforce‟s absenteeism was 24.1%, 95% CI (20.6, 27.8). The absence of being
females health workforces [AOR=1.742 95 CI: 1.007, 3.015] being married employees
[AOR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.281, 0.870] health workers who were paid 7801-10900 birr monthly
salary scale [AOR=0.161 95% CI: 0.046, 0.563], health workforces being with inadequate
leadership and management style [AOR=3.683, 95% CI: 1.361, 9.966] were associated with
absenteeism.
Conclusions & Recommendations: Sex, marital status, salary, inadequate leadership and
management style were the factors that had significant association with absenteeism. Therefore,
to reduce health work forces absenteeism; health centers should identify the reasons for health
workforces‟ absenteeism and give possible solution for the problem they have, districts health
offices, zonal health offices and Oromia Regional Health Bureau should provide supportive
supervision, in-service training, mentorship and feedback for health centers managements to
improve the gap they have on leadership and management system
