What elements of the work environment are most responsible for health worker dissatisfaction in rural primary care clinics in Tanzania?

Background: In countries with high maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, reliable access to quality healthcare in rural areas is essential to save lives. Health workers who are satisfied with their jobs are more likely to remain in rural posts. Understanding what factors influence health workers’ satisfaction can help determine where resources should be focused. Although there is a growing body of research assessing health worker satisfaction in hospitals, less is known about health worker satisfaction in rural, primary health clinics. This study explores the workplace satisfaction of health workers in primary health clinics in rural Tanzania. Methods: Overall, 70 health workers in rural Tanzania participated in a self-administered job satisfaction survey. We calculated mean ratings for 17 aspects of the work environment. We used principal components analysis (PCA) to identify groupings of these variables. We then examined the bivariate associations between health workers demographics and clinic characteristics and each of the satisfaction scales. Results: Results showed that 73.9% of health workers strongly agreed that they were satisfied with their job; however, only 11.6% strongly agreed that they were satisfied with their level of pay and 2.9% with the availability of equipment and supplies. Two categories of factors emerged from the PCA: the tools and infrastructure to provide care, and supportive interpersonal environment. Nurses and medical attendants (compared to clinical officers) and older health workers had higher satisfaction scale ratings. Conclusions: Two dimensions of health workers’ work environment, namely infrastructure and supportive interpersonal work environment, explained much of the variation in satisfaction among rural Tanzanian health workers in primary health clinics. Health workers were generally more satisfied with supportive interpersonal relationships than with the infrastructure. Human resource policies should consider how to improve these two aspects of work as a means for improving health worker morale and potentially rural attrition. Trial registration: (ISRCTN 17107760

Moving Toward Patient-Centered Care in Africa: A Discrete Choice Experiment of Preferences for Delivery Care among 3,003 Tanzanian Women

Objective: In order to develop patient-centered care we need to know what patients want and how changing socio-demographic factors shape their preferences. Methods: We fielded a structured questionnaire that included a discrete choice experiment to investigate women’s preferences for place of delivery care in four rural districts of Pwani Region, Tanzania. The discrete choice experiment consisted of six attributes: kind treatment by the health worker, health worker medical knowledge, modern equipment and medicines, facility privacy, facility cleanliness, and cost of visit. Each woman received eight choice questions. The influence of potential supply- and demand- side factors on patient preferences was evaluated using mixed logit models. Results: 3,003 women participated in the discrete choice experiment (93% response rate) completing 23,947 choice tasks. The greatest predictor of health facility preference was kind treatment by doctor (β = 1.13, p<0.001), followed by having a doctor with excellent medical knowledge (β = 0.89 p<0.001) and modern medical equipment and drugs (β = 0.66 p<0.001). Preferences for all attributes except kindness and cost were changed with changes to education, primiparity, media exposure and distance to nearest hospital. Conclusions: Care quality, both technical and interpersonal, was more important than clinic inputs such as equipment and cleanliness. These results suggest that while basic clinic infrastructure is necessary, it is not sufficient for provision of high quality, patient-centered care. There is an urgent need to build an adequate, competent, and kind health workforce to raise facility delivery and promote patient-centered care

Determinants of perceived quality of obstetric care in rural Tanzania: a cross-sectional study

Patients’ reported opinions of the health system need to be understood in order to provide patient-centered care. We investigated determinants of women’s ratings of the quality of care during their most recent facility delivery. We conducted a census of all deliveries in the 6 weeks to 12 months preceding the survey, in villages served by 24 primary care clinics in rural Pwani Region, Tanzania. Women who had delivered children in a study facility were included in this analysis (n = 855). We interviewed women about demographic and obstetric factors and the quality of their obstetric care using a structured questionnaire. We created a composite index of perceived quality from six quality questions. We also assessed the functioning of the local health clinic using structured surveys. We used a multi-level model to analyze factors associated with women’s rating of the quality of care during delivery. 14% of respondents rated the overall quality of care received during delivery as excellent. Women who listened to the radio daily reported lower quality composite scores (β: -0.99, p < 0.001). Women who reported receiving more services in ANC had higher quality scores (β: 0.46, p = 0.001), as did women receiving more delivery services (β: 0.55, p < 0.001). Women who reported disrespect and abuse during delivery had significantly lower quality scores (β: -4.13, p < 0.001). A woman’s expectations and prior and current experiences influence her perception of the quality of care she received. Health facility characteristics did not influence ratings of overall quality. Focusing on improving the process rather than inputs of service delivery during ANC visits and delivery may increase perceived quality of delivery care in low-resource settings. Trial registration: ISRCTN1710776

Stakeholders' opinions and questions regarding the anticipated malaria vaccine in Tanzania

Within the context of combined interventions, malaria vaccine may provide additional value in malaria prevention. Stakeholders' perspectives are thus critical for informed recommendation of the vaccine in Tanzania. This paper presents the views of stakeholders with regards to malaria vaccine in 12 Tanzanian districts.; Quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. A structured questionnaire was administered to 2123 mothers of under five children. Forty-six in-depth interviews and 12 focus group discussions were conducted with teachers, religious leaders, community health workers, health care professionals, and scientists. Quantitative data analysis involved frequency distributions and cross tabulations using Chi square test to determine the association between malaria vaccine acceptability and independent variables. Qualitative data were analysed thematically.; Overall, 84.2 % of the mothers had perfect acceptance of malaria vaccine. Acceptance varied significantly according to religion, occupation, tribe and region (p &lt; 0.001). Ninety two percent reported that they will accept the malaria vaccine despite the need to continue using insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), while 88.4 % reported that they will accept malaria vaccine even if their children get malaria less often than non-vaccinated children. Qualitative results revealed that the positive opinions towards malaria vaccine were due to a need for additional malaria prevention strategies and expectations that the vaccine will reduce visits to the health facility, deaths, malaria episodes and treatment-related expenses. Vaccine related questions included its side effects, efficacy, protective duration, composition, interaction with other medications, provision schedule, availability to the pregnant women, mode of administration (oral or injection?) and whether a child born of HIV virus or with a chronic illness will be eligible for the vaccine?; Stakeholders had high acceptance and positive opinions towards the combined use of the anticipated malaria vaccine and ITNs, and that their acceptance remains high even when the vaccine may not provide full protection, this is a crucial finding for malaria vaccine policy decisions in Tanzania. An inclusive communication strategy should be designed to address the stakeholders' questions through a process that should engage and be implemented by communities and health care professionals. Social cultural aspects associated with vaccine acceptance should be integrated in the communication strategy

Demographic characteristics of women delivering a child in the 6 weeks to 12 months prior to interview, Pwani Region, Tanzania, 2012 (n = 3,003).

<p>^a 17.9% Christian</p><p>^b Includes legal marriages and cohabitating couples</p><p>^c Includes homemakers, farmers, and house cleaners</p><p>^d Based on a "no problem" rating for all five items (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain or discomfort, and anxiety or depression) of the EQ-5D instrument EuroQol Group, Rotterdam, Netherlands)</p><p>^e Index of nine antenatal care services: diagnostics, treatment, and counseling</p><p>^f Index of nine delivery services: diagnostics, treatment, and postnatal counseling.</p><p>Demographic characteristics of women delivering a child in the 6 weeks to 12 months prior to interview, Pwani Region, Tanzania, 2012 (n = 3,003).</p

Stakeholders' opinions and questions regarding the anticipated malaria vaccine in Tanzania

BACKGROUND: Within the context of combined interventions, malaria vaccine may provide additional value in malaria prevention. Stakeholders' perspectives are thus critical for informed recommendation of the vaccine in Tanzania. This paper presents the views of stakeholders with regards to malaria vaccine in 12 Tanzanian districts. METHODS: Quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. A structured questionnaire was administered to 2123 mothers of under five children. Forty-six in-depth interviews and 12 focus group discussions were conducted with teachers, religious leaders, community health workers, health care professionals, and scientists. Quantitative data analysis involved frequency distributions and cross tabulations using Chi square test to determine the association between malaria vaccine acceptability and independent variables. Qualitative data were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Overall, 84.2 % of the mothers had perfect acceptance of malaria vaccine. Acceptance varied significantly according to religion, occupation, tribe and region (p < 0.001). Ninety two percent reported that they will accept the malaria vaccine despite the need to continue using insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), while 88.4 % reported that they will accept malaria vaccine even if their children get malaria less often than non-vaccinated children. Qualitative results revealed that the positive opinions towards malaria vaccine were due to a need for additional malaria prevention strategies and expectations that the vaccine will reduce visits to the health facility, deaths, malaria episodes and treatment-related expenses. Vaccine related questions included its side effects, efficacy, protective duration, composition, interaction with other medications, provision schedule, availability to the pregnant women, mode of administration (oral or injection?) and whether a child born of HIV virus or with a chronic illness will be eligible for the vaccine? CONCLUSION: Stakeholders had high acceptance and positive opinions towards the combined use of the anticipated malaria vaccine and ITNs, and that their acceptance remains high even when the vaccine may not provide full protection, this is a crucial finding for malaria vaccine policy decisions in Tanzania. An inclusive communication strategy should be designed to address the stakeholders' questions through a process that should engage and be implemented by communities and health care professionals. Social cultural aspects associated with vaccine acceptance should be integrated in the communication strategy

Mixed logit model results with and without interactions for a discrete choice experiment addressing healthcare facility preferences for delivery among women in Pwani Region, Tanzania, 2012.

<p>^b Cost in 1000 TZS</p><p>^a The mean relative utility of each attribute conditional on the additional attributes in the choice set. Standard deviations are not shown for ease of readability.</p><p>*Significant at α = 0.05.</p><p>Mixed logit model results with and without interactions for a discrete choice experiment addressing healthcare facility preferences for delivery among women in Pwani Region, Tanzania, 2012.</p

Demographic characteristics of women delivering a child in the 6 weeks to 12 months prior to interview, Pwani Region, Tanzania, 2012 (n = 3,003).

<p>^a 17.9% Christian</p><p>^b Includes legal marriages and cohabitating couples</p><p>^c Includes homemakers, farmers, and house cleaners</p><p>^d Based on a "no problem" rating for all five items (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain or discomfort, and anxiety or depression) of the EQ-5D instrument EuroQol Group, Rotterdam, Netherlands)</p><p>^e Index of nine antenatal care services: diagnostics, treatment, and counseling</p><p>^f Index of nine delivery services: diagnostics, treatment, and postnatal counseling.</p><p>Demographic characteristics of women delivering a child in the 6 weeks to 12 months prior to interview, Pwani Region, Tanzania, 2012 (n = 3,003).</p

Sample DCE scenario card, 2012.

<p>Sample DCE scenario card, 2012.</p