Aging village doctors in five counties in rural China: situation and implications

Xu, Huiwen; Zhang, Weijun; Gu, Linni; Qu, Zhaowei; Sa, Zhihong; Zhang, Xiulan; Tian, Dan

doi:10.1186/1478-4491-12-36

Cited by 33 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Older PHCWs with more years of clinical practice were less likely to access the computer and might not have been familiar with computer and internet use. Recent studies in rural China reported more than 30% of the village doctors in the sample areas (both developed and under-developed regions) were aged 50 or above [ 48 , 49 ]. As computer literacy is essential to implementing web-based training [ 21 ], efforts are needed to help older individuals develop computer skills.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Web-Based Training for Primary Healthcare Workers in Rural China: A Qualitative Exploration of Stakeholders’ Perceptions

Zhang

Zhan

et al. 2015

PLoS ONE

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BackgroundEquitable access to basic public health services is a priority in China. However, primary healthcare workers’ competence to deliver public health services is relatively poor because they lack professional training. Since the availability of web-based training has increased in China, the current study explored stakeholders’ perceptions of a web-based training program on basic public health services to understand their thoughts, experiences, and attitudes about it.MethodsSix focus group discussions with primary healthcare workers and three with directors of township hospitals, county-level Health Bureaus, and county-level Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were conducted in Yichang City during 2013. Semi-structured topic guides were used to facilitate qualitative data collection. Audio recordings of the sessions were transcribed verbatim and theme analysis was performed.ResultsMost of the study’s participants, especially the village doctors, had insufficient knowledge of basic public health services. The existing training program for primary healthcare workers consisted of ineffective traditional face-to-face sessions and often posed accessibility problems for the trainees. Most of the study’s participants had a positive attitude about web-based learning and expressed a strong desire to receive this novel training approach because of its flexibility and convenience. The perceived barriers to utilizing the web-based training method included poor computer literacy, lack of personal interaction, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of time and motivation. The facilitators of this approach included the training content applicability, the user-friendly and interactive learning format, and policy support.ConclusionsWeb-based training on basic public health services is a promising option in rural China. The findings of the study will contribute knowledge to implementation of web-based training in similar settings.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Web-Based Training for Primary Healthcare Workers in Rural China: A Qualitative Exploration of Stakeholders’ Perceptions

Zhang

Zhan

et al. 2015

PLoS ONE

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“…The shortage and maldistribution of these professionals is a serious problem worldwide, 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 whereas the brain drain 8 and ageing of the workforce are additional problems exacerbating the situation. 9 , 10 In SA, the shortage and unequal distribution of medical doctors, with too few doctors servicing rural communities, is not a new phenomenon 11 , 12 and has been highlighted in the national media. 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geographical distribution and profile of medical doctors in public sector hospitals of the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Ntuli¹,

Maboya²

2017

Afr. j. prim. health care fam. med.

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BackgroundThe shortage and unequal distribution of medical doctors in low- and middle-income countries continues to be a public health concern.ObjectiveTo establish the geographical distribution and demographic profile of medical doctors in public sector hospitals of the Limpopo Province, South Africa.MethodThe PERSAL system was used to obtain information on the number of medical doctors employed in public sector hospitals of the Limpopo Province. Data were exported from PERSAL’s database and then analysed using STATA version 9.0.ResultThe mean age of the 887 medical doctors was 40.1 ± 11.2 years (range 24–79 years). Sixty per cent of the doctors were male, 66% were aged ≤ 45 years and 84% were African. Most of the doctors (86%) were medical officers, of which 55% had < 5 years working experience. Overall, the doctor-to-population ratio for the five districts in the province was 16.4/100 000, with Capricorn (33.7/100 000) and Waterberg (20.2/100 000) recording the highest ratios. A large proportion (43%) of medical officers are employed in the Capricorn District, of which 71% were practising at the tertiary hospital.ConclusionThis study demonstrated a shortage and maldistribution of medical doctors in the public sector hospitals of the Limpopo Province. This has a potentially negative effect on the delivery of an appropriate and efficient healthcare service to the population and requires urgent attention.

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“…In most countries around the world, there is no mandatory retirement age for doctors. Countries such as the UK and Germany recently phased out their policies on a mandatory retirement age.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When should surgeons retire?

Bhatt

Morris

O’Neil

et al. 2016

Journal of British Surgery

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Background: Retirement policies for surgeons differ worldwide. A range of normal human functional abilities decline as part of the ageing process. As life expectancy and their population increases, the performance ability of ageing surgeons is now a growing concern in relation to patient care. The aim was to explore the effects of ageing on surgeons' performance, and to identify current practical methods for transitioning surgeons out of practice at the appropriate time and age.Methods: A narrative review was performed in MEDLINE using the terms 'ageing' and 'surgeon'. Additional articles were hand-picked. Modified PRISMA guidelines informed the selection of articles for inclusion. Articles were included only if they explored age-related changes in brain biology and the effect of ageing on surgeons' performance. Results:The literature search yielded 1811 articles; of these, 36 articles were included in the final review. Wide variation in ability was observed across ageing individuals (both surgical and lay). Considerable variation in the effects of the surgeon's age on patient mortality and postoperative complications was noted. A lack of neuroimaging research exploring the ageing of surgeons' brains specifically, and lack of real markers available for measuring surgical performance, both hinder further investigation. Standard retirement policies in accordance with age-related surgical ability are lacking in most countries around the world. Conclusion:Competence should be assessed at an individual level, focusing on functional ability over chronological age; this should inform retirement policies for surgeons.

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Aging village doctors in five counties in rural China: situation and implications

Cited by 33 publications

References 43 publications

Web-Based Training for Primary Healthcare Workers in Rural China: A Qualitative Exploration of Stakeholders’ Perceptions

Web-Based Training for Primary Healthcare Workers in Rural China: A Qualitative Exploration of Stakeholders’ Perceptions

Geographical distribution and profile of medical doctors in public sector hospitals of the Limpopo Province, South Africa

When should surgeons retire?

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