Motivation and Participation in Training Among Healthcare Workers in Makkah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Rahaf Osama Maajeeny,1 Rabab Abdelrouf,2,* Adeel Ahmed Khan3,* 1Interprofessional Training Administration, Executive Administration of Primary Health Care, Makkah Healthcare Cluster, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Medical Education, Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 3Saudi Board Program of Preventive Medicine, Makkah Healthcare Cluster, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Adeel Ahmed Khan, Saudi Board Program of Preventive Medicine, Makkah Healthcare Cluster, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tel +966-582265945, Fax +966-122366014, Email [email protected]: This study aimed to assess the motivation and participation of healthcare workers (HCWs) in training at Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of HCWs working in public PHCs in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a structured, validated, and modified instrument, The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) in Arabic, focused on motivation and participation in training. Cronbach’s alpha for this tool ranged from 0.7 to 0.9. The participants were selected using a proportional stratified sampling technique. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed to assess the scores and to compare the levels of motivation with respect to socio-demographic and professional profile.Results: We enrolled 291 participants. Approximately 44% of the participants had diplomas, while 19% had masters or higher qualifications. The majority of the participants were nurses (38%). The mean scores on a scale of 0– 4 in the various domains of intrinsic motivation were as follows: know (3.2), towards accomplish (3.1), and experience stimulation (3.1). Similar scores were found in the extrinsic motivation domains of identified (3.0), introjected (3.0), and external regulation (2.8). The mean amotivation domain was 1.25. There were no differences in the level of motivation or reasons for attending such programs with respect to sociodemographic characteristics. There were significant differences between diploma holders and those with master’s or higher degrees with respect to motivation in the domain of “Identified” (p = 0.037). Motivation scores were significantly higher in the middle-income group (1.2) than in the low-income group (0.9) (p = 0.031).Conclusion: Healthcare workers were highly motivated to attend training programs in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. There were no differences in the levels of motivation among participants with respect to their sociodemographic and professional profiles. This indicates a homogenous and strong organizational culture of participation in continuous training programs.Keywords: motivation, participation, training, primary health care, healthcare workers, Saudi Arabia