Factors associated with job satisfaction among Chinese community health workers: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundWith the medical reform, the function of community health centres emerged to be more important recently in China. However, the health service capabilities were tremendously different between metropolitan cities and small cities. This study aims to clarify the level of job satisfaction of Chinese community health workers between a metropolitan (Shenyang) and a small city (Benxi) in Liaoning province and explore its associated factors.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 2009 to February 2010. A multi-stage sample was used and a total of 2,100 Chinese community health workers from the two cities completed self-administered questionnaire pertaining to job satisfaction indicated by Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), demographic characteristic and working situations, stress and job burnout. The effective response rate was 80.7%. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to explore the related factors. All data analyses for the two cities were performed separately.ResultsThe averages of overall job satisfaction score of Chinese community health workers were 67.17 in Shenyang and 69.95 in Benxi. Intrinsic job satisfaction and extrinsic job satisfaction among Chinese community health workers were significantly different between Shenyang and Benxi (p < 0.05). In Shenyang, hierarchical regression analysis showed that the fourth model explained 36%, 32% of the variance of intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfactions, respectively. In Benxi, the fourth model explained 48%, 52% of the variance of intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfactions, respectively. Three significant predictors of intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfactions for the two cities were the two dimensions (social support and decision latitude) of stress and cynicism of burnout.ConclusionFrom this study, the job satisfaction among Chinese community health workers in the two cities enjoyed a moderate level of job satisfactions, which represented they are not fully satisfied with their jobs. Community health workers in Shenyang had lower job satisfaction as compared to those in Benxi. This study strengthened the evidence that stress and burnout were important predictors of intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfactions.

Workloads and strain process in Community Health Agents

“…A study (24) with professionals of the Family Health Strategy found that even though the burnout syndrome affects workers regardless of their training, gender or position, it was predominant in the group of CHAs compared to other professionals. Internationally, a Chinese study with 1010 workers of Community Health Centers concluded that stress and burnout syndrome are negatively associated with job satisfaction, which in turn, is perceived as a protection to the health of workers (25) .…”

Fatores que influenciam na qualidade de vida dos agentes comunitários de saúde

“…(16,17) It was clarified that the workers living with more than four people was associated with lower quality of life in the Physical Functioning, Physical role functioning, General Health perception, Vitality and Emotional role functioning, showing that the largest number of people in the household enables household work overload, negatively influencing health. (18,19) The exercise of Community Health Worker function for more than 10 years had lower scores of quality of life in the domains investigating physical functioning, physical role functioning, bodily pain and emotional role functioning. Thus, it is suggested that they are subjected to unfavorable working conditions, such as major goals to meet, living and working in the same place, allowing physical and emotional commitment of these workers.…”

Transtornos mentais comuns: prevalência e fatores associados entre agentes comunitários de saúde

“…A alteração dos aspectos psicológicos gera tensão, ansiedade, estresse, além de outros distúrbios, o que pode impactar negativamente na autoavaliação da saúde por parte dos indivíduos acometidos . Na China, uma pesquisa com 1.010 profissionais de centros comunitários de saúde concluiu que os TMC estão negativamente associados à satisfação no trabalho, que é considerada protetora da saúde do trabalhador 14 . Nesse sentido, tais achados sinalizam que a redução dos problemas de saúde mental em ACS depende da gestão do sistema de saúde e dos serviços de APS, com a inclusão da melhoria das condições laborais, da estrutura e organização do processo de trabalho.…”

“…Dessa forma, é imperioso que as instituições conheçam a ocorrência de TMC, avaliem quais fatores podem contribuir para o seu aparecimento e de que forma interferem na saúde de seus profissionais, para que possam criar estratégias de intervenção e de prevenção 10 . E a literatura evidencia má qualidade de vida 1,12,13 , intensas cargas de trabalho 11 , ansiedade 7 e Síndrome de Burnout 10,14 entre os ACS. Ademais, são verificadas altas prevalências de TMC nesse grupo 2,6,[15][16][17] .…”