Perceptions and attitudes of health professionals in kenya on national health care resource allocation mechanisms: a structural equation modeling

Patrick Opiyo Owili; Yi-Hsin Elsa Hsu; Jin-Yuan Chern; Chiung-Hsuan Megan Chiu; Bill Wang; Kuo-Cherh Huang; Miriam Adoyo Muga

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0127160

Perceptions and attitudes of health professionals in kenya on national health care resource allocation mechanisms: a structural equation modeling

PLoS One. 2015 Jun 3;10(6):e0127160. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127160. eCollection 2015.

Authors

Patrick Opiyo Owili¹, Yi-Hsin Elsa Hsu², Jin-Yuan Chern³, Chiung-Hsuan Megan Chiu², Bill Wang⁴, Kuo-Cherh Huang², Miriam Adoyo Muga⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Health Care Administration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; International Health Program, Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
² School of Health Care Administration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
³ Department of Health Care Administration, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Health Care Administration, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
⁵ Institute of Community Health and Development, Great Lakes University of Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya.

Abstract

Background: Health care resource allocation is key towards attaining equity in the health system. However, health professionals' perceived impact and attitude towards health care resource allocation in Sub-Saharan Africa is unknown; furthermore, they occupy a position which makes them notice the impact of different policies in their health system. This study explored perceptions and attitudes of health professionals in Kenya on health care resource allocation mechanism.

Method: We conducted a survey of a representative sample of 341 health professionals in Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital from February to April 2012, consisting of over 3000 employees. We assessed health professionals' perceived impact and attitudes on health care resource allocation mechanism in Kenya. We used structural equation modeling and applied a Confirmatory Factor Analysis using Robust Maximum Likelihood estimation procedure to test the hypothesized model.

Results: We found that the allocation mechanism was negatively associated with their perceived positive impact (-1.04, p < .001), health professionals' satisfaction (-0.24, p < .01), and professionals' attitudes (-1.55, p < .001) while it was positively associated with perceived negative impact (1.14, p < .001). Perceived positive impact of the allocation mechanism was negatively associated with their overall satisfaction (-0.08) and attitude (-0.98) at p < .001, respectively. Furthermore, overall satisfaction was negatively associated with attitude (-1.10, p <.001). On the other hand, perceived negative impact of the allocation was positively associated with overall satisfaction (0.29, p <.001) but was not associated with attitude.

Conclusion: The result suggests that health care resource allocation mechanism has a negative effect towards perceptions, attitudes and overall satisfaction of health professionals who are at the frontline in health care. These findings can serve as a crucial reference for policymakers as the Kenyan health system move towards devolving the system of governance.

Publication types

Clinical Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Attitude of Health Personnel*
Delivery of Health Care*
Female
Health Care Rationing*
Humans
Kenya
Male
Middle Aged
Models, Theoretical*
National Health Programs*

Grants and funding

The authors are indebted to School of Health Care Administration of Taipei Medical University for their scholarships. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.