A Study on Perception and Attitudes of Health Workers Towards the Organization and Activities of Urban Health Centers

도시보건소 직원의 보건소 업무에 대한 인식 및 견해

A survey was conducted to study perception and attitudes of health workers towards health center's activities and organization of health services, from August 15 to September 30, 1994. The study population was 310 health workers engaged in seven urban health centers in Taegu City area. A questionnaire method was used to collect data and response rate was 81.3 percent or 252 respondents. The following are summaries of findings: Profiles of study population: Health workers were predominantly female(62.3%); had college education(60.3%); and held medical and nursing positions(39.6%), technicians(30.6%) and public health/administrative positions(29.8%). Perceptions on health center's resources: Slightly more than a half(51.1%) of respondents expressed that physical facilities of the centers are inadequate; equipments needed are short(39.0%); human resource is inadequate(44.8%); and health budget allocated is insufficient(38.5%) to support the performance of health center's activities. Decentralization and health services: The majority revealed that the decentralization of government system would affect the future activities of health centers(51.9%) which may have to change. However, only one quarter of respondents(25.4%) seemed to view the decentralization positively as they expect that it would help perform health activities more effectively. The majority of the respondents(78.6%) insisted that the function and organization of the urban health centers should be changed. Target workload and job satisfaction: A large proportion (43.3%) of respondents felt that present target setting systems for various health activities are unrealistic in terms of community needs and health center's situation while only 11.1 percent responded it positively; the majority(57.5%) revealed that they need further training in professional fields to perform their job more effectively; more than one third(35.7%) expressed that they enjoy their professional autonomy in their job performance; and a considerable proportion (39.3%) said they are satisfied with their present work. Regarding the personnel management, more worker(47.3%) perceived it negatively than positive(11.5%) as most of workers seemed to think the personnel management practiced at the health centers is not fair or justly done. Health services rendered: Among health services rendered, health workers perceived the following services are most successfully delivered; they are, in order of importance, Tb control, curative services, and maternal and child health care. Such areas as health education, oral health, environmental sanitation, and integrated health services are needed to be strengthening. Regarding the community attitudes towards health workers, 41.3 percent of respondents think they are trusted by the community they serve. New areas of concern identified which must be included in future activities of health centers are, in order of priority, health care of elderly population, home health care, rehabilitation services, and such chronic diseases control programs as diabetes, hypertension, school health and mental health care. In conclusion, the study revealed that health workers seemed to have more negative perceptions and attitudes than positive ones towards organization and management of health services and activities performed by the urban health centers where they are engaged. More specifically, the majority of health workers studied revealed to have the following areas of health center's organization and management inadequate or insufficient to support effective performance of their health activities: Namely, physical facilities and equipments required are inadequate; human and financial resources are insufficient; personnel management is unsatisfactory; setting of service target system is unrealistic in terms of the community needs. However, respondents displayed a number of positive perceptions, particularly to those areas as further training needs and implementation of decentralization of government system which will bring more autonomy of local government as they perceived these change would bring the necessary changes to future activities of the health center. They also displayed positive perceptions in their job autonomy and have job satisfactions.

도시 보건소 직원의 보건소 업무에 대한 인식 및 태도를 파악하기 위하여 대구직할시 7개 보건소 직원 310명을 대상으로 1994년 8월 15일부터 9월 30일까지 설문조사를 실시하여 252명(회수율 81.3%)의 자료를 분석하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 조사대상은 남자가 95명(37.3%), 여자가 157명(62.3%)이고, 60.3%가 대졸이상자였다. 현재 근무부서의 시설이 보건사업을 수행하는데 적합하다고 한 의견이 28.6%, 적합하지 않다가 51.1%였고, 보유 기자재가 사업수행에 적합하다가 19.4%, 적합하지 않다가 39.0%였으며, 보건소의 인력수가 적정하다가 28.6%, 적합하지 않다가 44.8%였다. 근무부서의 예산이 보건사업 수행에 적합하다고 한 의견이 13.1%, 적합하지 않다가 38.5%였다. 지방자치제 실시후 사업내용이 바뀌어야 한다고 한 의견이 51.9%, 지방자치제의 실시가 자신의 근무부서의 업무에 도움이 된다고 한 의견이 25.4%, 도움되지 않는다가 24.6%였다. 지방자치제 실시에 따라 보건소의 조직과 기능이 개선되어야 한다는 의견은 78.6%였다. 사업 목표량의 설정이 해당 부서나 지역의 실정에 비추어 맞게 책정되어 있다는 의견이 11.1%, '그렇지 않다'가 43.3%였다. 업무 수행을 위한 전문적인 지식이나 기술에 대한 교육을 더 받아야 한다고 한 의견이 57.5%, 더 받을 필요없다가 20.6%였고, 자신의 업무수행에 자율성이 있다고 생각하는 견해가 35.7%, 자율성이 없다가 25.8%였으며, 현재 하고 일에 만족한다가 39.3%, 만족하지 못한다가 16.3%였다. 보건소의 인사관리에 대해서는 11.5% 합리적이라고 하였고, 47.3%가 불합리적 이라고 하였으며, 보건소가 주민들로부터 신뢰를 받고 있다는 의견이 41.3%, '그렇지 않다'는 의견이 13.1%였다. 보건소에서 지역주민에게 제공하는 서비스 중에서 잘 시행되고 있는 사업은 결핵관리, 일반진료, 모자보건사업의 순이었으며, 부족한 사업은 보건교육, 치과진료, 위생, 통합보건사업의 순이었다. 향후 보건소에서 주민에게 제공해야 할 서비스로는 노인보건사업, 가정의료사업, 재활보건사업, 당뇨병관리, 고혈압관리, 학교보건사업, 정신보건사업의 순으로 지적하였다. 보건소 근무자들은 시설, 기자재, 인력, 예산, 인사관리, 사업목표량의 설정 및 평가, 인사관리 등에 대해서는 부정적인 의견이 많았으며, 업무수행을 위한 보수교육, 지방자치제 실시를 통한 업무의 변화, 업무의 자율성, 업무의 만족도 면에서는 대체로 긍정적인 의견을 가진 것으로 나타났다.