Abstract:
Health Extension Program (HEP) in Ethiopia is a core component of the broader
health system that is adopted to achieve universal coverage of primary health care to the rural
population. Low job satisfaction of Health extension workers may decrease the benefit of
investment in the implementation of HEP. However, no study was undertaken in the West
Hararghe zone on job satisfaction and associated factors of health extension workers even though
there is a high turnover rate of health extension workers in the zone.
Objective: To assess the level of job satisfaction and associated factors among HEWs in public
health facilities of West Hararghae Zone of Oromia Region, Eastern Ethiopia from September 20
to October 20, 2020.
Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 432 randomly selected health extension
workers. A pre- tested structured questionnaire was used to collect data on a face-to-face basis.
The collected data was entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 and exported to STATA Version 14.2
for data cleaning and analysis. Bi-variable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses
were done to see the association between the dependent and independent variables. The level of
statistical significance was declared at a p-value less than 0.05.
Results:The current study revelead, 51.8% (95% CI: 46.97%, 56.60%) of HEWs was satisfied
with their job with the mean satisfaction score of 51.8%. Not Working in the residence where
Parents live (AOR= 1.94, 95% CI: 1.24, 3.04), Distance >10 km from District town(AOR=1.59,
95% CI: 1.01, 2.53) , getting supportive supervision (AOR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.06, 2.55) and
salary >5260 ETB(AOR= 1.69, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.85)were significant factors associated with
HEW job satisfaction.
Conclusion: Overall level of job satisfaction of health extension workers was nearly half in the
study area. Supportive supervision,salary,distance and parent residential place were predictors of
job satisfaction of HEWS.This study recommends that focusing on these factors to reduce
problem of job satisfaction of HEWs in the working area.