Job Motivation and Associated Factors among Health Workers in Urban Public Hospitals in Tanzania, March – June 2007

Abstract: Background: This study focused on the motivation of human resource for health in urban public health facilities in Tanzania. Motivation is defined in this study as an individual's degree of willingness to exert and maintain an effort towards organizational goals. Motivation of health workers was studied based on Herzberg’s two-factor theory. Purpose: The overall purpose of this study was to study job motivation and associated factors among urban health workers in public hospitals in Dar es salaam, Tanzania. Methods: The study employed predominantly qualitative research methods. Data was collected from three municipal hospitals and one referral hospital, the Muhimbili National Hospital. Some information was also collected from key informants in the Municipality Administration, the Non – Governmental Organisations and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. A combination of direct observation, key informants interviews, Focus Group Discussions and a desk review of key documents was done. Sampling of participants was done using purposive methods with representative, intensity and sometimes snow-ball sampling done in different stages and at different environments. Data analysis was done following the principles of grounded theory. Results: This study established that a number of extrinsic or ‘hygiene’ factors (dissatisfiers) which match with those proposed by Herzberg et al, are important and necessary for maintaining human resource for health in urban health facilities. The study also found that intrinsic factors (satisfiers) when available would increase job motivation among the healthcare workers in government-owned health facilities in Dar es salaam and that when are not available would not cause any dissatisfaction. Conclusion: Although the theory did not provide a fit in all circumstances, it formed a firm foundation on which to study job motivation and associated factors among urban health workers in public hospitals in Tanzania.