Factors affecting intent to immigration among Iranian health workers in 2016

Abstract

BackgroundLoss of human resources in the health sector through migration has caused many problems in the delivery of healthcare services in developing countries.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine factors influencing intention to migrate in skilled human resources in Iran’s healthcare sector.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was carried out in 2016 in Iran. The study population included health sector human resources at the Tehran and Iran University of Medical Sciences. Using multi-stage cluster sampling, 827 people were selected for participation. Participants included four groups: hospital staff, health workers, medical students, and postgraduate students (Masters and PhD). Data were collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire and analyzed by descriptive parameters, chi-square and logistic regression test using SPSS version 18.ResultsInclination to migrate, in the study population, was 54.77%. There was a significant relationship between inclination to migrate and age, work experience, employment status, marital status, familiarity with a foreign language, foreign language skills, foreign language courses, having relatives or family living abroad, and prior experience of being abroad (p<0.05). The most important factors influencing inclination to migrate were: reaching out for better life (81.92±21.95), interdisciplinary discrimination (80.83±20.75), and experience of living and studying abroad. (80.55±18.12),ConclusionConsidering the high rate of intention to emigrate in the studied population (54.77%), a lot of whom will emigrate if their situation is ready, it can be a serious problem for the health system in the near future in which it will face lack of skilled health workers, and so requires more attention of health sector authorities.

Intention to immigration and its relationship with workload and healthy work environment in nurses

“…Among other results of this study was the link between work experience, employment status and nurses' intention to immigration, so that nurses with low work experience and non-permanent employment status had more intention to immigration. The results of this study are consistent with the study of Asadi et al (2017) that was conducted on healthcare professionals in Iran (Asadi et al, 2017). This result may be related to job security, which is higher in permanently employed nurses.…”

“…The study of intention to immigration in nursing students in South Korea showed similar results (Lee and Moon, 2013;Lee, 2016). Asadi et al found similar results in determining the intention to immigration and its reasons among Iranian healthcare professionals (Asadi et al, 2017). While the Freeman's study (2012) showed that 85% of nursing graduates in a city in Canada preferred to work in Canada, and only 15% of them intended to immigrate to other countries (Freeman et al, 2012).…”

“…The lack of skills of new employees leads to a decrease in the quality of services provided to patients (Roche et al, 2015). One study found that, 54.77% of health professionals in Iran have intention to immigrate (Asadi et al, 2017), and statistics from the Iranian Nursing Organization in 2018 show that about 1,000 nurses immigrate annually from Iran (Shari moghaddam, 2018). Perhaps the most important reasons for nursing immigration are dissatisfaction with working conditions, comparison of living standards with destination countries (Valizadeh et al, 2016), economic factors (Zolot, 2019) and the unavailability of support networks .…”

Identification of Native Physicians Retention Components in Iranian Health System: A Mixed Method Study

“…In Iran, the most talented students are chosen to attend medical schools. Asadi et al (3) reported that the frequency of immigration among Iranian health professionals is 54.77%, even though students are bond to upon graduation serve in medical professions at least equal to the length of their medical course. Few developed countries, such as Australia, Japan, Canada, and Germany (4), have implemented such regulations for medical education.…”

“…attention to the issues of physicians, such as continuous education, creating employment opportunities, job security, and welfare. While, in developing countries, a host of scientific, economical, technological, and political problems as well as lack of advanced research facilities, welfare, and the inability of the community to use physicians' expertise, stimulates the physicians to leave their homeland (3,5). For example, in Pakistan, low salaries and benefits, poor quality of education, job dissatisfaction, lifestyle, lack of job opportunities, working environment problems, terrorism, social harassment, management weakness, colleagues' pressure, long hours of work, and religious and political variables are the main barriers for retention of physicians (6,7).…”