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Social Determinants of Rural Health Workforce Retention: A Scoping Review

Author

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  • Catherine Cosgrave

    (Department of Rural Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Docker St Wangaratta, 3677 Victoria, Australia)

  • Christina Malatzky

    (School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove campus, Brisbane, 4059 Queensland, Australia)

  • Judy Gillespie

    (School of Social Work, Faculty of Health and Social Development, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada)

Abstract

Residents of rural and remote Australia have poorer health outcomes than their metropolitan counterparts. A major contributor to these health disparities is chronic and severe health workforce shortages outside of metropolitan areas—a global phenomenon. Despite emerging recognition of the important influence of place-based social processes on retention, much of the political attention and research is directed elsewhere. A structured scoping review was undertaken to describe the range of research addressing the influence of place-based social processes on turnover or retention of rural health professionals, to identify current gaps in the literature, and to formulate a guide for future rural health workforce retention research. A systematic search of the literature was performed. In total, 21 articles were included, and a thematic analysis was undertaken. The themes identified were (1) rural familiarity and/or interest, (2) social connection and place integration, (3) community participation and satisfaction, and (4) fulfillment of life aspirations. Findings suggest place-based social processes affect and influence the retention of rural health workforces. However, these processes are not well understood. Thus, research is urgently needed to build robust understandings of the social determinants of rural workforce retention. It is contended that future research needs to identify which place-based social processes are amenable to change.

Suggested Citation

  • Catherine Cosgrave & Christina Malatzky & Judy Gillespie, 2019. "Social Determinants of Rural Health Workforce Retention: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-19, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:3:p:314-:d:200404
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    Cited by:

    1. Hannah Beks & Sandra Walsh & Laura Alston & Martin Jones & Tony Smith & Darryl Maybery & Keith Sutton & Vincent L Versace, 2022. "Approaches Used to Describe, Measure, and Analyze Place of Practice in Dentistry, Medical, Nursing, and Allied Health Rural Graduate Workforce Research in Australia: A Systematic Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-15, January.
    2. Marta Roczniewska & Anne Richter & Henna Hasson & Ulrica von Thiele Schwarz, 2020. "Predicting Sustainable Employability in Swedish Healthcare: The Complexity of Social Job Resources," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-19, February.
    3. Caroline Crossley & Marjorie Collett & Sandra C. Thompson, 2023. "Tracks to Postgraduate Rural Practice: Longitudinal Qualitative Follow-Up of Nursing Students Who Undertook a Rural Placement in Western Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-18, March.
    4. Wanchun Xu & Zijing Pan & Zhong Li & Shan Lu & Liang Zhang, 2020. "Job Burnout Among Primary Healthcare Workers in Rural China: A Multilevel Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-18, January.
    5. Giuseppe Moscelli & Melisa Sayli & Marco Mello & Alberto Vesperoni, 2025. "Staff engagement, co‐workers' complementarity and employee retention: evidence from English NHS hospitals," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 92(365), pages 42-83, January.
    6. Maria Jose & Amarech Obse & Mark Zuidgeest & Olufunke Alaba, 2023. "Assessing Medical Students’ Preferences for Rural Internships Using a Discrete Choice Experiment: A Case Study of Medical Students in a Public University in the Western Cape," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(20), pages 1-15, October.
    7. Sarah J. Prior & Carey A. Mather & Steven J. Campbell, 2023. "Redesigning Rural Acute Stroke Care: A Person-Centered Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-12, January.
    8. Zhanming Liang & Jemma C. King & Cate Nagle & Tilley Pain & Andrew J. Mallett, 2024. "Empowering and Building the Capabilities of Mid-Level Health Service Managers to Lead and Support the Health Workforce—A Study Protocol," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(8), pages 1-11, July.
    9. Xue Zhang & Mildred E. Warner & Elaine Wethington, 2020. "Can Age-Friendly Planning Promote Equity in Community Health Across the Rural-Urban Divide in the US?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-16, February.
    10. Catherine Cosgrave, 2020. "The Whole-of-Person Retention Improvement Framework: A Guide for Addressing Health Workforce Challenges in the Rural Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-14, April.
    11. Eloise A. B. Price & Mohammad Hamiduzzaman & Vanette McLennan & Christopher Williams & Victoria Flood, 2024. "Virtual Care Appointments and Experience Among Older Rural Patients with Chronic Conditions in New South Wales: An Analysis of Existing Survey Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(12), pages 1-15, December.
    12. Catherine Cosgrave, 2020. "Context Matters: Findings from a Qualitative Study Exploring Service and Place Factors Influencing the Recruitment and Retention of Allied Health Professionals in Rural Australian Public Health Servic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-27, August.
    13. Elyce Green & Sarah Hyde & Rebecca Barry & Brent Smith & Claire Ellen Seaman & Jayne Lawrence, 2022. "Placement Architectures in Practice: An Exploration of Student Learning during Non-Traditional Work-Integrated Learning in Rural Communities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-17, December.

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