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Willingness to work in rural areas and associated factors among graduating health students at the University of Gondar, northwest Ethiopia, 2021

Author

Listed:
  • Blen Getachew
  • Biruk Bizuneh
  • Birhanu Ewunetu
  • Dawit Kassahun
  • Dessalegn Fentahun
  • Destaw Ademe
  • Endeshaw Admasu Cherkos
  • Azmeraw Ambachew Kebede

Abstract

Background: Many of the rural areas in developing countries are still in need access to quality healthcare services. To ensure the fair distribution of a high-quality health workforce and the availability of health services, there is a need to assess the background barriers that explain why healthcare providers are not interested to work in rural areas, thereby setting strategies to achieve universal health coverage. Therefore, this study is aimed to assess the willingness to work in rural areas and associated factors among health students at the University of Gondar. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Gondar from August 15 to 25, 2021. A total of 422 study participants were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was employed to collect the data. Data were entered into EPI DATA 4.6 and exported to SPSS 25 for further analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with students’ willingness to work in rural areas. The level of significance was decided based on the 95% confidence interval at a p-value of ≤ 0.05. Results: In this study, it was found that health students’ willingness to work in rural areas was 78.4% (95% CI: 74.3, 82.4). Being male (AOR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.17, 3.94), having intention to continue with their profession (AOR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.28, 4.86), having a favorable attitude towards working in rural areas (AOR = 7.32; 95% CI: 5.71, 18.65), and having a mother with no formal education (AOR = 2.23; 95% CI: 1.02, 4.85) and completed primary education (AOR = 2.69; 95% CI: 1.1, 6.61) were significantly associated with willingness to work in rural areas. Conclusion: The willingness of students to work in rural areas was optimal. This calls for concerned bodies to create a conducive environment for male and female students to engage in rural areas without hesitation. It is also important to ensure that students are willing to work in the rural areas voluntarily, instead of working in rural areas due to a lack of employment.

Suggested Citation

  • Blen Getachew & Biruk Bizuneh & Birhanu Ewunetu & Dawit Kassahun & Dessalegn Fentahun & Destaw Ademe & Endeshaw Admasu Cherkos & Azmeraw Ambachew Kebede, 2022. "Willingness to work in rural areas and associated factors among graduating health students at the University of Gondar, northwest Ethiopia, 2021," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(10), pages 1-14, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0276594
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276594
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Serneels, Pieter & Montalvo, Jose G. & Pettersson, Gunilla & Lievens, Tomas & Butera, Jean Damascene & Kidanu, Aklilu, 2010. "Who Wants to Work in a Rural Health Post? The Role of Intrinsic Motivation, Rural Background and Faith-Based Institutions in Rwanda and Ethiopia," IZA Discussion Papers 4831, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Jinlin Liu & Bin Zhu & Ying Mao, 2018. "Association between rural clinical clerkship and medical students’ intentions to choose rural medical work after graduation: A cross-sectional study in western China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(4), pages 1-16, April.
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