Abstract:
Job performance is crucial for organizational goals, and Ethiopia's health
extension programs have achieved significant health outcomes. However, challenges include
improving the quality of the services provided within the program, like enhancing skills and
health extension workers' performance, and creating an appropriate carrier structure. Though
efforts are devoted to improving community health workers' performance, the challenge
related to health extension workers' performance persists. In this regard, so far, there is
limited evidence in the study area, so this study fills the limited evidence gap.
Objectives: To assess job performance and associated factors among health extension
workers working in district Health posts of East Hararghe Zone, Oromia Region, East
Ethiopia, from June 1 to June 30, 2023.
Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study design was employed to assess job
performance and associated factors among randomly selected 633 health extension workers
starting from June 1 to June 30, 2023. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used
to collect data. The collected data were coded, cleaned, and double-entered into Epi-data
version 3.1. The data were exported to SPSS version 22 for further analysis. The descriptive
analysis of data was done using summary measures. All covariates that were significant at p value < 0.25 in Bivariable logistic regression analysis were considered multivariable analyses
to detect predictors associated with the outcome. To measure the strength of the association
between dependent and independent variables, Crude and adjusted odd ratios with 95%
Confidence Intervals were calculated. Finally, the variable that shows a P-value < 0.05 was
considered statistically significant.
Results: The overall level of self-rated job performance among health extension was found to
be 53.9% (CI: 49.9%-57.8%). The socio-demographic factors such as level IV and above
educational status [AOR=5.482 (3.752, 8.008)] and monthly income ≥5000ETB [AOR=1.815
(95%, CI: 1.259, 2.617)] were significantly associated with self-rated job performance.
Conclusion: The overall self-rated job performance of Health extension workers (HEWs)
was high. Factors such as educational level and monthly income were significantly associated
with self-rated job performance among HEWs. The study emphasizes the need for improved
educational and income levels for health extension workers, policy directives, capacity
building, supportive supervision, improved payment options, performance-based rewards,
and reward systems for top performers.