The Nomenclature and Classification of Human Resources for Health: A Review

Abstract

This article attempts to answer the obvious question of who are the people that can be included in the definition of Human Resources for Health and what might they be called. To answer the question an extensive search of literature was conducted. The search was aimed at identifying the nomenclature and classifications of human resources for health.The search resulted in a variety of nomenclature and a large number of classification frameworks which were then narrowed down to seven frameworks. It was found that there is a lot of overlap in the definitions used for various nomenclatures. The terms 'health workers' and 'public health workers' are a major area of disagreement and confusion. The classifications also indicated a lot of difference of opinions on who should be included in the various categories suggested in the different classifications. However, almost all these classifications identify at least three major categories of health workers; the specialist health workers, the specialist public health workers and the health management/support workers.The article points out an important area which is generally neglected in the human resource policy making. An attention to better classification can have a tremendous impact on human resource planning and monitoring.