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Health Human Resources
Lloyd, Sanders and Lehmann (2010:172) state: “The success or failure of a NHI scheme will rely on the availability, skills and motivation of health workers.” In line with this they propose that planning for the implementation of the NHI should address the maldistribution of health professionals, among other outcomes.
Choice of research approach
In this section the researcher defends her choice of the research approach to conduct the study. This defence is discussed in terms of the paradigms and meta-theoretical assumptions discussed in the previous section.
Although the majority of research conducted to test the TPB in various settings use quantitative studies which fall within the positivist paradigm (Ajzen, 2014b), it was deemed as an unsuitable paradigm as the researcher wanted to gain a deep understanding of the impact of the core and additional variables of the TPB as well as background factors which are unique and specific to a South African context as far as intentions are concerned. Survey questionnaires were deemed to be limiting in this regard and would not satisfy the need for exploring and understanding the beliefs, feelings and emotions of participants.
SELECTIVE CODE: SOCIAL BACKGROUND FACTORS
Ajzen (2005:134) and Fishbein and Ajzen (2005:197) do not define “social background factors” as such, however, include generic demographic variables such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, education levels, income and religion as social background factors in an extended TPB model.
Axial code: demographic profile of study participants
This section provides the platform to explore one of the main research areas of this study, namely to determine whether demographic variables of study participants namely race, gender, origin (rural/ urban), home language, marital status, dependant family, age, previous work experience in the public service and family or friends working as rural physicians account for differences in the prediction of their future career choices and more specifically choosing a career choice as a rural physician.
THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY
The purpose of the study is to test the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), to account for career intentions by final year undergraduate medical students as well as registrars who are already qualified medical doctors, but chose to specialise further, to choose a career as a rural medical practitioner in South Africa. The TPB is a social psychology theory and explains the link between a person’s attitude towards certain behaviour or action and his/ her eventual implementation of such behaviour or action. It has been applied in various fields and discipline, including medicine, and found to be an effective predictor of behaviour. In this study the TPB will be tested to account for career decision making that favours rural medical practice.
EXPLANATION OF PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED
This study involves the selection and invitation of participants who represent the diversity of current final year medical students and registrars at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Pretoria/ Steve Biko Academic Hospital in terms of race, gender and hometown to participate in one focus group discussion to be facilitated by Ms Greyling.
CHAPTER 1:
1.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
1.2 RESEARCH PROBLEM
1.3 AIM OF THE STUD
1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
1.5 DELIMITATIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS
1.5.1 Delimitations
1.5.2 Assumptions
1.6 IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED STUDY
1.7 DEFINITION OF KEY CONCEPTS AND ABBREVIATIONS
1.8 OUTLINE OF THE STUDY
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 THE SOUTH AFRICAN HEALTH SECTOR
2.2.1 The health system
2.2.1.1 Introduction
2.2.1.2 Health system reform
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.2 RESEARCH PARADIGM/ PHILOSOPHY
3.2.2 Choice of research approach
3.3 RESEARCH DESIGN
CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS: TPB BACKGROUND FACTORS
4.2 SELECTIVE CODE: SOCIAL BACKGROUND FACTORS.
4.2.2 Axial code: demographic profile of study participants
4.2.2.1 Introduction
4.2.2.2 Race and gender profile of study participants
4.2.2.3 Language profile of study participants
4.2.2.4 Age profile of study participants
4.2.2.5 Marital status of study participants
4.2.2.6 Dependant profile of study participants
4.2.2.7 Origin (rural vs. urban) of study participants
CHAPTER 5: ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS: CORE AND EXTENDED VARIABLES OF THE TPB, INTENTIONS AND BEHAVIOUR
5.2 SELECTIVE CODE: ATTITUDE
5.2.2 Axial code: beliefs about the characteristics of a rural environment
