Serajeddin Mahmoudiani
Abstract
Background: Dramatic changes in the demographic behaviors of Iranian women have led to declining fertility after the mid-1980s. Childlessness is an important and growing issue and has increasingly become the focus of the problem by Iranian population policymakers.
Methods: The present study was conducted ...
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Background: Dramatic changes in the demographic behaviors of Iranian women have led to declining fertility after the mid-1980s. Childlessness is an important and growing issue and has increasingly become the focus of the problem by Iranian population policymakers.
Methods: The present study was conducted using the quantitative secondary data analysis method. Using the census microdata of population and housing in 2016, the researchers attempted to investigate the level and predictors of childlessness among married women aged 40–49. The data of 85799 married women aged 40–49 was analyzed.
Results: About 4% of the sample were childless. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the probability of childlessness for married women with university degrees, immigrant women, and employed women is higher than their counterparts. Furthermore, the findings suggested that women who live in apartments and those who live in private houses are less likely childless than their counterparts. Bigger houses lower the probability of being childless.
Conclusion: Government planning and policymaking to reducethe proportion of childlessness should improve household circumstances, especially their housing.
Mohammad Khammarnia; Mehdi Zanganeh Baygi; Morteza Mooziri; Mohammad Okati; Mostafa Boolaghi; Mehdi Okati; Fatemeh Setoodehzadeh
Abstract
Background: In 2014, Health Transformation Plan (HTP) started in Iranian health system to improve productivity of health organizations. The aim of the present study was to assess the employees’ productivity in health centers after HTP. Methods: This cross-sectional study with analytical approach ...
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Background: In 2014, Health Transformation Plan (HTP) started in Iranian health system to improve productivity of health organizations. The aim of the present study was to assess the employees’ productivity in health centers after HTP. Methods: This cross-sectional study with analytical approach was carried out in Zahedan University of Medical Sciences in 2018. 150 health workers were selected using census method. Data were collected by Hersey & Goldsmith Workforce Productivity Questionnaire. For the data analysis, descriptive and statistical methods such as Pearson correlation 2-tailed, one-way ANOVA, T-tests and regression model were used. Results: Our findings showed that 96% of health workers were female. Mean score of productivity was 63.8±12.7, which is in the moderate level. Besides, we found a significant negative relationship between productivity and job experience of the employees (P = 0.021, F = 2.975). Conclusion: In this study, productivity was at a moderate level. It seems with better motivation of the staff, there might be an improvement in productivity. Introduction Human resources are considered as fundamental resources and the most important factor for developing any organization. Today, due to the effect of the employees’ efficiency on overall function, many organizations preliminarily focus on increasing the employees’ productivity. European Productivity Agency defines productivity as “the level of using each producing factor properly, which first seems an overview that constantly tries to improve the existing condition” (1-3). Today, the most important factor in community development is increased attention to human productivity, and organizations can only reach their achievement via using human resources because human being defines waste or productivity of physical resources or materials (4). To motivate the employees, who provide high quality cares and help the development of a society, we need to invest on human resources management. Despite this global importance, today, health systems ignore the mentioned fact; as a result, decreased human productivity has become a challenge (5). According to the existing reports, health centers and organizations in Iran, in contrast to industry and business ones, have rarely investigated effective ways of improving the employees’ productivity; also, Iranian human productivity index is weaker than the mean East Asian countries (4). Studies have shown that without long-term, thorough, and evidence-based plan, this goal seems unachievable (6). We should also consider that decreased productivity in health area can lead to decreased quality of life and social security in communities (3). According to a study, the costs that are the result of decreased productivity in health care organizations can be many times more than direct costs of medical conditions (7). This is also important that the human resources productivity in health organizations is more significant than other organizations because these organizations, besides doing their routines, have the ability to face the crisis, too. This area of health is considered as one of the most basic parts of economic development in different countries. In health care organizations, in order to get productivity, we need to take a systemic, local, and practical overview. That is, organizational factors like employees’ motivation, working culture, mental health, right choice of workers, effective leadership, occupational function, and other factors cannot improve productivity individually and they must work as a system. We should also pay attention to reciprocal relationship between these factors. Sufficient organizational structure, effective function, proper work equipment, balanced area, and most importantly professional and effective human resource are necessary to reach adequate productivity (3, 6, 8). On May 5, 2014, a series of reforms has been done in Iranian health system under the title of Health Transformation Plan (HTP), with three main approaches of financial protection of patients, fairness in access to health services, and improvement of the quality of services (9). Because there is a special look at health area in this plan, and absence of proper research on this topic, this study seemed necessary to be conducted. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the employees’ productivity in health centers after HTP. The results of this study can provide required information for health policymakers and managers to improve the human resources productivity and in turn can result in increased quality of service delivery.
