Health Workforces Absenteeism and Associated Factors in Rural Public Health Centers in South West Shoa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

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