TITLE:
Staff Absenteeism in Public Health Facilities of Uganda: A Study in Bushenyi District on Contributing Factors
AUTHORS:
Nancy Nyasuguta Nyamweya, Peter Yekka, Ronny Drasi Mubutu, Keneth Iceland Kasozi, Jane Muhindo
KEYWORDS:
Staff absenteeism in Uganda, Uganda Health Care, Nurses in Africa
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Nursing,
Vol.7 No.10,
October
17,
2017
ABSTRACT: Background: Staff absenteeism is a global challenge in health care service delivery that has not spared any country. Aim: This was to assess the factors contributing to staff absenteeism in public health facilities in Bushenyi District of Uganda. Method: This was a cross sectional study conducted for a period of 3 months in which data were collected using a questionnaire and interviews. Results: Majority of participants were females (66.4%) which 50% in the age of 31 - 45 years. The study showed that residing outside the health facility (42.1%) i.e. walking distances over 10 km to get to work was a challenge. Family conflicts, overstay in one workstation without rotations to other major health facilities and drug abuse as well as inadequate supervision were major contributing factors to absenteeism (P Conclusion: Staff absenteeism in rural communities is a major challenge that needs a multi-sectorial approach for its effective management, thus showing a need to revise policy in the health sector.