RADIOGRAPHERS’ WILLINGNESS TO WORK IN RURAL AND UNDERSERVED AREAS IN NIGERIA: A SURVEY OF FINAL YEAR RADIOGRAPHY STUDENTS

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. 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.