scholarly journals Assessing Initiatives for Rural Health Practices in South Carolina

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 61-72
Author(s):  
Aalia Soherwardy ◽  
Elizabeth Crouch

The purpose of this study was to determine which incentives are most effective in motivating medical students to practice in rural areas of South Carolina, which can be informative for the medical practitioner rural recruitment process. Medical students attending the University of South Carolina School of Medicine located in Columbia, South Carolina were surveyed about demographic information, motivations for rural practice, and considerations for choosing a practice location (n=109). Chi-square tests and bivariate analyses were used to test for significant differences. A significant relationship was found between previous residence in a rural area and personal motivation to practice in a rural area (p<0.001). It was also found that 86.2% of students who had previously lived, worked, or served in rural areas had a personal motivation to practice medicine in a rural area, confirming previous research. Loan forgiveness options were the most appealing personal incentive for the students in this study, closely followed by guaranteed minimum incomes and tax incentives; financial incentives were more preferred than non-financial incentives like reduced on-call work and accelerated residencies. The results of this study can be utilized to craft future state-supported incentive programs or to tailor current programs to more effectively recruit students to rural practice. KEYWORDS: Rural; Recruitment; Healthcare Provider; Shortage; Incentive Programs; Medical Student; Southern United States; Loan Forgiveness

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 61-72
Author(s):  
Aalia Soherwardy ◽  
Elizabeth Crouch

The purpose of this study was to determine which incentives are most effective in motivating medical students to practice in rural areas of South Carolina, which can be informative for the medical practitioner rural recruitment process. Medical students attending the University of South Carolina School of Medicine located in Columbia, South Carolina were surveyed about demographic information, motivations for rural practice, and considerations for choosing a practice location (n=109). Chi-square tests and bivariate analyses were used to test for significant differences. A significant relationship was found between previous residence in a rural area and personal motivation to practice in a rural area (p<0.001). It was also found that 86.2% of students who had previously lived, worked, or served in rural areas had a personal motivation to practice medicine in a rural area, confirming previous research. Loan forgiveness options were the most appealing personal incentive for the students in this study, closely followed by guaranteed minimum incomes and tax incentives; financial incentives were more preferred than non-financial incentives like reduced on-call work and accelerated residencies. The results of this study can be utilized to craft future state-supported incentive programs or to tailor current programs to more effectively recruit students to rural practice. KEYWORDS: Rural; Recruitment; Healthcare Provider; Shortage; Incentive Programs; Medical Student; Southern United States; Loan Forgiveness


Author(s):  
Yachana Choudhary ◽  
Manju Dubey ◽  
Manju Toppo ◽  
D. K. Pal

Background: India is facing critical problem of paucity of certified physicians in rural areas, although majority of the population resides in rural areas. According to rural health statistics report 2015, there is a deficit of 659 doctors in rural areas. The study was done with the objective to capture the perception among medical students (interns / postgraduates) about their preference of work place after graduation/post-graduation and to know the factors responsible for preference / non-preference.Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out, among 203 medical students in a government medical college of Bhopal (M.P) from January to March 2016. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding their preference to serve in rural areas and reasons associated with their choices. The data was entered in MS excel and analysis was performed using Epi-Info7.Results: The study participants included 203 medical students, only 33 (16.26%), were willing to work in rural area. The major reasons for non-preference of rural area were lack of primary facilities like equipments, paramedical staff, non favorable working conditions. Majority of them responded that good salary, better lifestyle and security for doctors especially for females would make them work there.Conclusions: Very less proportion of study participants preferred rural area as their preferred work place. Our study has shown a need for intervention to overcome these perceptions and attitudes of the students towards practice in rural area in order to reverse this disparity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 192
Author(s):  
Khairinnisa Maizal Gazali ◽  
Rizma Syakurah ◽  
Mariatul Fadilah

<span>Misdistribution of physicians is still an issue, especially physicians’ lack of interest to work in rural area. Finding characteristics from medical students that show interest to work in rural areas is important to craft effective policy to enforce young physicians to work in rural areas. This study was quantitative analytics. Participants rated the influence of 19 factors that affect their interest towards working in rural area using translated and validated questionnaire, distributed online to all medical students from 20 medical faculties in Sumatra. Out of 1124 respondents, 748 (66.5%) subjects interested to work in rural area. Determinants which influence medical students’ interest towards working in rural area are past experience of visiting rural area (p&lt;0.001), careers opportunity (p&lt;0.001), family’s socioeconomic status (p=0.001), proximity to family (p=0.001), rural area’s facilities (p=0.002), culture of rural community (p=0.005), students’ lifestyle (p=0.005), rural curriculum (p=0.007), proximity to spouse (p=0.031) and location of university (p=0.049). Past experience of visiting rural area (OR 2.281, p&lt;0.001) is the most determining factor to influence students’ interest towards working in rural area. Medical students mostly interested to work in rural area. Past experience of visiting rural area was the most influential factor for medical students’ interest on rural practices</span>


2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saiendhra V. Moodley ◽  
Jacqueline E. Wolvaardt ◽  
Jakobus M. Louw ◽  
Jannie Hugo

Background: The University of Pretoria (UP) had its first intake of Bachelor of Clinical Medical Practice (BCMP) students in 2009. The objectives of this study were to examine the trends in geographical practice intentions and preferences of the first nine cohorts of BCMP students. We also assessed sector and level of care preferences of six BCMP cohorts.Methods: Cross-sectional studies were conducted 2011, 2014 and 2017. First-, second- and third-year UP BCMP students were invited to complete a electronic questionnaire. Our analyses consisted of calculating proportions for the practice intentions and preferences for each surveys, and performing multiple logistic regression on the aggregated date to determine their associations with sociodemographic and training characteristics.Results: The proportion of participants intending to practise as a clinical associate in a rural area in South Africa directly after graduating was 62.5% in the 2014 survey and 69.7% in the 2017 survey, compared to 59.6% in the 2011 survey. The majority in all three surveys (53.4% in 2011, 56.6% in 2014 and 59.8% in 2017) indicated a preference for rural practice. Both rural practice intention and rural practice preference were found to be significantly associated with respondent’s self-description of having lived most of her/his life in a rural area, and rural district hospital exposure during training. In 2014 and 2017, approximately two-thirds of the participants selected a public sector option as their most preferred work setting. District hospitals were the most preferred setting of 30.3% participants in 2014 and 32.0% in 2017.Conclusion: Most participants across the three surveys intended to work in rural settings. Considering that this could provide a sustainable solution to the shortage of health care workforce in rural areas, policy makers in both higher education and health need to promote and ensure the viability of the training of this category of health care providers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Ling ◽  
Robert Jacobs ◽  
Rhys Ponton ◽  
Julia Slark ◽  
Antonia Verstappen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION In New Zealand (NZ), there are shortages of health professionals in rural areas and in primary care. AIM This study aims to examine the association of student debt levels of medical, nursing, pharmacy and optometry students with: (1) preferred geographical location of practice, specifically preference to work in urban vs. rural areas; and (2) preferred career specialties, specifically interest in primary health care. METHODS Medical, nursing, pharmacy and optometry students completed a questionnaire at graduation that included questions about levels of New Zealand Government Student Loan debt and preferences regarding location of practice and career specialty. In an additional survey, medical students were asked to self-rate the effect of financial factors on their career choices. RESULTS Debt patterns varied across programmes. Medical and pharmacy students with high debt were significantly more likely than students with low debt to prefer rural over urban practice (P = 0.003). There was no difference in level of interest in a primary care specialty by debt level for any programme. Medical students reported little influence of debt on career choice, although students with high debt levels were less concerned over career financial prospects than students with lower levels of debt. DISCUSSION Current levels of student debt do not deter students from planning a career in rural or primary care settings. Somewhat surprisingly, higher levels of debt are associated with greater rural practice intentions for medical and pharmacy students, although the underlying reasons are uncertain.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina W. Pit ◽  
Sue Velovski ◽  
Krista Cockrell ◽  
Jannine Bailey

Abstract Background Clinical practice is increasingly being digitalised. Little is known about how medical students learn and were exposed to telehealth during COVID-19. This is particularly important if we wish to further improve healthcare access and equity in rural areas and vulnerable populations. This formative study sought to explore the exposure and attitudes of medical students on telehealth and COVID-19 during their rural clinical placement in 2020 and provide recommendations. Methods Focus groups were held in August 2020 after completion of a 12-month rural placement. Questions centred around students’ exposure and experiences with telehealth during COVID-19. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. Results There has been a clear shift in students now acknowledging the importance of telehealth and, more importantly, expressing a clear wish for telehealth to be embedded in the curriculum starting in their first year. In tandem with this, students expressed the need for their clinical supervisors or hospital teams to have the capability to practice telehealth efficiently as this will improve the telehealth experience and lead to better engagement for both staff and students. Furthermore, it was felt that rural clinicians should play a lead role in telehealth implementation given it is integral to rural practice. Conclusions Medical students are more exposed to and more interested to learn about telehealth since COVID-19 and wish to see telehealth training built into their curriculum from the outset of medical school. Themes that emerged from this formative study can potentially assist in planning for telehealth education during and post COVID-19 and inform further telehealth research. Embedding telehealth skills training and guidelines into the medical program, and particularly rural medicine training programs, is essential to prepare the future medical workforce to ensure access and quality patient care during pandemics and also to improve access for rural Australians.


2020 ◽  
pp. 095148482097145
Author(s):  
Eleonora Gheduzzi ◽  
Niccolò Morelli ◽  
Guendalina Graffigna ◽  
Cristina Masella

The involvement of vulnerable actors in co-production activities is a debated topic in the current public service literature. While vulnerable actors should have the same opportunities to be involved as other actors, they may not have the needed competences, skills and attitudes to contribute to this process. This paper is part of a broader project on family caregivers’ engagement in remote and rural areas. In particular, it investigates how to facilitate co-production by looking at four co-design workshops with family caregivers, representatives of a local home care agency and researchers. The transcripts of the workshops were coded using NVivo, and the data were analysed based on the existing theory about co-production. Two main findings were identified from the analysis. First, the adoption of co-production by vulnerable actors may occur in conjunction with other forms of engagement. Second, the interactions among facilitators and providers play a crucial role in encouraging the adoption of co-production. We identified at least two strategies that may help facilitators and providers achieve that goal. However, there is a need for an in-depth understanding of how facilitators and providers should interact to enhance implementation of co-production.


2019 ◽  
Vol 95 (1127) ◽  
pp. 517-517
Author(s):  
Karla Margetic ◽  
Teo Miric ◽  
Eric Nham ◽  
Robert Likic
Keyword(s):  

Medicina ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 45
Author(s):  
Kamila Faizullina ◽  
Galina Kausova ◽  
Zhanna Kalmataeva ◽  
Ardak Nurbakyt ◽  
Saule Buzdaeva

Background and Objective. The number of new entrants to higher medical schools of Kazakhstan increased by 1.6 times from 2007 to 2012. However, it is not known how it will affect the shortage of human resources for health. Additionally, human resources for health in rural areas of Kazakhstan are 4 times scarcer than in urban areas. The aim of the present study was to investigate the intentions of students toward their professional future and readiness to work in rural areas, as well as to determine the causes for dropping out from medical schools. Material and Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2 medical universities in Almaty during the academic year 2011–2012. The study sample included medical students and interns. In total, 2388 students participated in the survey. The survey tool was an anonymous questionnaire. Results. The students of the first years of studies compared with those of later years of studies were more optimistic about the profession and had more intentions to work in the medical field. Only 8% of the students reported a wish to work in rural localities. On the other hand, 4% of the students did not plan to pursue the profession. On the average, every third medical student dropped out on his/her own request. Conclusions. Associations between intentions to work according to the profession and the year of studies, faculty, and residence area before enrolling in a medical school were documented. The majority of the students who came from rural areas preferred to stay and look for work in a city, which might contribute to an unequal distribution of physicians across the country.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gbeminiyi M. Sobamowo ◽  
Sunday J. Ojolo

Nigeria has not been able to provide enough electric power to her about 200 million people. The last effort by the federal government to generate 6000 MW power by the end of 2009 failed. Even with the available less than 6000 MW of electricity generated in the country, only about 40% of the population have access to the electricity from the National Grid, out of which, urban centers have more than 80% accessibility while rural areas, which constitute about 70% of the total population, have less than 20% of accessibility to electricity. This paper addresses the possibility of meeting the energy demand in Nigeria through biomass gasification technology. The techno-economic analysis of biomass energy is demonstrated and the advantages of the biomass gasification technology are presented. Following the technical analysis, Nigeria is projected to have total potential of biomass of about 5.5 EJ in 2020 which has been forecast to increase to about 29.8 EJ by 2050. Based on a planned selling price of $0.727/kWh, the net present value of the project was found to be positive, the cost benefit ratio is greater than 1, and the payback period of the project is 10.14 years. These economic indicators established the economic viability of the project at the given cost. However, economic analysis shows a selling price of $0.727/kWh. Therefore, the capital investment cost, operation and maintenance cost, and fuel cost can be reduced through the development of the gasification system using local materials, purposeful and efficient plantation of biomass for the energy generation, giving out of financial incentives by the government to the investors, and locating the power plant very close to the source of feedstock generation.


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