Radiographers’ willingness to work in rural and underserved areas in Nigeria: a survey of final year radiography students

Abstract

Background: Radiographers are in great demand and inadequate distribution to the rural hospitals and
underserved areas affect prompt health service delivery to patients. Patients travel several kilometres from
rural and underserved areas in Nigeria to access radiographic services and this affects morbidity and mortality.
Objective: To assess factors associated with Radiographers’ willingness to practice in rural and underserved
areas in Nigeria.
Methods: The study adopted a cross sectional survey. A total of 124 final year students from Southern Nigeria
in Departments of Radiography in two tertiary institutions in Southeast Nigeria participated in the study. A
researcher-developed questionnaire was the instrument for data collection. The questionnaire elicited questions
on willingness to work in rural and underserved areas based on socio-demographic characteristics,
remunerations, security, working conditions, peculiar incentives, extrinsic and intrinsic motivations.
Results: A total of 27 % of the student radiographers showed strong willingness, 32 % showed weak
willingness and 41 % showed unwillingness to practice in the rural and underserved areas in Nigeria. Age, sex,
remuneration, peculiar allowances and security were strongly associated with willingness to practice in rural
and underserved areas (p < 0.05). Love for patient care, job satisfaction, provision of accommodation and
opportunity for professional development had weak association (p > 0.05) with willingness to practice in rural
and underserved areas.
Conclusion: Greater number of the student Radiographers were not willing to practice in rural areas of
Nigeria. Areas of insurgency, some parts of northern Nigeria, primary and secondary healthcare centres
located outside the major cities were unlikely to attract young energetic radiographers. Males and older
respondents were more likely to work in rural and underserved areas of the country. There is need for adequate
planning and provision of social incentives if radio-diagnostic services will be adequately covered in the
national program for universal health coverage in Nigeria.