IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/vrs/ngooec/v70y2024i2p12-23n1002.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Diagnosing the Issue: Understanding and Combating Medical Brain Drain in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author

Listed:
  • Jahić Hatidža

    (University of Sarajevo, School of Economics and Business, Trg oslobođenja - Alija Izetbegović 1, 71000 Sarajevo; Bosnia and Herzegovina)

  • Hadžiahmetović-Milišić Nejra

    (University of Sarajevo, School of Economics and Business, Trg oslobođenja - Alija Izetbegović 1, 71000 Sarajevo; Bosnia and Herzegovina)

  • Dedović Lejla

    (University of Sarajevo, School of Economics and Business, Trg oslobođenja - Alija Izetbegović 1, 71000 Sarajevo; Bosnia and Herzegovina)

  • Kuloglija Emina

    (University of Sarajevo, School of Economics and Business, Trg oslobođenja - Alija Izetbegović 1, 71000 Sarajevo; Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Abstract

This study investigates emigration patterns among healthcare professionals in Bosnia and Herzegovina, examining the underlying reasons for emigration and proposing actionable solutions to curb this trend. A mixed-methods approach is employed, combining quantitative data from surveys administered to medical and health studies students with qualitative insights from interviews with governmental officials, language educators, and statistical agencies. The findings reveal significant dissatisfaction with socio-economic and political conditions, prompting healthcare professionals to seek opportunities abroad. Major reasons for going abroad include political instability, low wages, and poor working conditions, while better pay and career opportunities are attracting factors. While the study is limited by the lack of comprehensive official statistics on emigration, the implications of this research emphasize the need for policy interventions aiming to improve local working conditions and reform educational systems. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to effectively address the issue of brain drain.

Suggested Citation

  • Jahić Hatidža & Hadžiahmetović-Milišić Nejra & Dedović Lejla & Kuloglija Emina, 2024. "Diagnosing the Issue: Understanding and Combating Medical Brain Drain in Bosnia and Herzegovina," Naše gospodarstvo/Our economy, Sciendo, vol. 70(2), pages 12-23.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:ngooec:v:70:y:2024:i:2:p:12-23:n:1002
    DOI: 10.2478/ngoe-2024-0008
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.2478/ngoe-2024-0008
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2478/ngoe-2024-0008?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Adnan Efendic, 2016. "Emigration intentions in a post-conflict environment: evidence from Bosnia and Herzegovina," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(3), pages 335-352, July.
    2. Glinos, Irene A., 2015. "Health professional mobility in the European Union: Exploring the equity and efficiency of free movement," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(12), pages 1529-1536.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Adnan Efendic & Dejan Kovac & Jacob N. Shapiro, 2023. "Exposure to Conflict, Migrations and Long-run Education and Income Inequality: Evidence from Bosnia and Herzegovina," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(8), pages 1003-1017, November.
    2. Masanet, Erika, 2017. "Processes and experiences of Portugal’s international recruitment scheme of Colombian physicians: Did it work?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(8), pages 929-935.
    3. Alicja Domagała & Marcin Kautsch & Aleksandra Kulbat & Kamila Parzonka, 2022. "Exploration of Estimated Emigration Trends of Polish Health Professionals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-18, January.
    4. Júlia Varga, 2017. "Out-migration and attrition of physicians and dentists before and after EU accession (2003 and 2011): the case of Hungary," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 18(9), pages 1079-1093, December.
    5. Parker Elliott, 2020. "Migration Patterns in Eastern Europe and the World: A Gravity Approach," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 15(1), pages 66-79, June.
    6. Anand Chand & Suwastika Naidu, 2017. "Health Care Service Quality and Availability of Skilled Health Workforce: A Panel Data Modelling of the UK, USA and Israel," Modern Applied Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(10), pages 152-152, October.
    7. Ziberi Besime & Alili Merita Zulfiu, 2021. "Economic Growth in the Western Balkans: A Panel Analysis," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 16(2), pages 68-81, December.
    8. Ferreira, Pedro L. & Raposo, Vitor & Tavares, Aida Isabel & Correia, Tiago, 2020. "Drivers for emigration among healthcare professionals: Testing an analytical model in a primary healthcare setting," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(7), pages 751-757.
    9. Leone, Claudia & Bruyneel, Luk & Anderson, Janet E. & Murrells, Trevor & Dussault, Gilles & Henriques de Jesus, Élvio & Sermeus, Walter & Aiken, Linda & Rafferty, Anne Marie, 2015. "Work environment issues and intention-to-leave in Portuguese nurses: A cross-sectional study," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(12), pages 1584-1592.
    10. Franc Sanja & Časni Anita Čeh & Barišić Antea, 2019. "Determinants of Migration Following the EU Enlargement: A Panel Data Analysis," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 14(2), pages 13-22, December.
    11. Radike, Monika & Zuromskis, Tadas, 2023. "Lithuanian physicians practising abroad: Reasons to leave and conditions to return to Lithuania. A survey," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 75-83.
    12. Daria Kostrzewa & Joanna Bonior & Maciej Polak & Alicja Domagała, 2022. "Factors Affecting Migration Intentions of Polish Physiotherapists and Students of Physiotherapy—A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-13, November.
    13. Kotorri Mrika, 2017. "The probability of return conditional on migration duration: evidence from Kosovo," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 12(2), pages 35-46, December.
    14. Domagała, Alicja & Klich, Jacek, 2018. "Planning of Polish physician workforce – Systemic inconsistencies, challenges and possible ways forward," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(2), pages 102-108.
    15. Isilda Mara, 2020. "Health Professionals Wanted: Chain Mobility across European Countries," wiiw Research Reports 445, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    16. Hurić-Bjelan Jasmina & Hadžiahmetović Azra, 2020. "External Debt in Bosnia and Herzegovina – An Empirical Analysis," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 15(2), pages 70-82, December.
    17. Amr Abdelwahed & Anne Goujon & Leiwen Jiang, 2020. "The Migration Intentions of Young Egyptians," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-38, November.
    18. Domagała, Alicja & Dubas-Jakóbczyk, Katarzyna, 2019. "Migration intentions among physicians working in Polish hospitals – Insights from survey research," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(8), pages 782-789.
    19. Elyne De Baetselier & Bart Van Rompaey & Nienke E. Dijkstra & Carolien G. Sino & Kevin Akerman & Luis M. Batalha & Maria I. D. Fernandez & Izabela Filov & Vigdis A. Grøndahl & Jana Heczkova & Ann Kari, 2021. "The NUPHAC-EU Framework for Nurses’ Role in Interprofessional Pharmaceutical Care: Cross-Sectional Evaluation in Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-26, July.
    20. Correia, Tiago & Gomes, Inês & Nunes, Patrícia & Dussault, Gilles, 2020. "Health workforce monitoring in Portugal: Does it support strategic planning and policy-making?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(3), pages 303-310.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Healthcare Emigration trends; Socio-economic Challenges; Brain Drain; Bosnia and Herzegovina;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:vrs:ngooec:v:70:y:2024:i:2:p:12-23:n:1002. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.sciendo.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.