Human Resources for Health最新文献

{"title":"Neonatal unit human resources: coverage for six cadres and trends for staff-to-baby ratios in 65 neonatal units implementing with NEST360 in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Tanzania.","authors":"Rebecca E Penzias, Eric O Ohuma, Opeyemi Odedere, Olabisi Dosunmu, George Okello, Hannah Mwaniki, Robert Tillya, Josephine Shabani, Samuel K Ngwala, Evelyn Zimba, Morris Ondieki Ogero, Christine A Bohne, Olukemi Tongo, Veronica Chinyere Ezeaka, Vincent O Ochieng, Ekran Rashid, William M Macharia, John Wainaina, Irabi Kassim, Donat Shamba, Nahya Salim, Grace T Soko, Msandeni Chiume, Alice Tarus, Edith Gicheha, Julius Thomas, Georgia Jenkins, James H Cross, Rosemary Kamuyu, Junwei Chen, Simon Cousens, Elizabeth M Molyneux, Maria Oden, Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Joy E Lawn, David Gathara","doi":"10.1186/s12960-025-01031-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12960-025-01031-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Implementing small and sick newborn care (SSNC) requires skilled health workers; however, there is a shortage, adversely impacting patient outcomes and health worker well-being. There are limited data and no current World Health Organization (WHO) standards for staff-to-baby ratios in neonatal units in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to inform policy, planning, and investment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In 65 neonatal units (36 in Malawi, 13 in Kenya, 7 in Tanzania, and 9 in Nigeria), a health facility assessment (HFA) for SSNC and government-led quality improvement (QI) processes were implemented. Staffing data were collated from baseline HFA (Sept 2019-March 2021) and mid-2023 HFAs, and quarterly QI processes. The unit of analysis was the neonatal unit with day and night staff-to-baby ratios calculated. Ratios were aggregated overall, by country, by hospital level, and by neonatal unit occupancy rates. Staff coverage and skill-mix were also analysed for nurses, doctors, clinical officers, laboratory technicians, data clerks, biomedical technicians, and engineers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>For 65 neonatal units, the median time between baseline and 2023 HFAs was 31 months (Interquartile Range (IQR) 29-34 months). In 2023, only 3 (5%) neonatal units had zero neonatal ward-specific nurses compared to 8 (12%) at baseline during the day. Between baseline and 2023 HFAs, median nurse-to-baby ratios were 1:6 (IQR 1:3-1:11) during the day and 1:10 (IQR 1:6-1:17) at night, with consistency over time. At baseline, only one third of neonatal units had a doctor providing care, or on-call coverage, at all times of day and night (n = 20, 31%), and half of hospitals lacked 24 h laboratory coverage (n = 25, 45%) with no change over time. There were improvements in neonatal data clerk (n = 32, 49% to n = 58, 89%) and biomedical technician (n = 45, 69% to n = 56, 86%) coverage between baseline and 2023 HFAs.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Evaluation revealed variability by country and hospital level, and important shortfalls remain in the number of staff providing care. Neonatal survival in hospitals requires better staff-to-baby ratios and more skilled staff. To meet the projected shortfall in the health workforce, governments must invest in training more health workers for neonatal care.</p>","PeriodicalId":39823,"journal":{"name":"Human Resources for Health","volume":"23 1","pages":"64"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12613486/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145507493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A qualitative study of the experiences of Syrian physicians in Türkiye: the need to strengthen integration.","authors":"Abdulkader Mohammad, Diana Rayes, Sevgi Canbaz, Selma Karabey, Aula Abbara","doi":"10.1186/s12960-025-01023-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12960-025-01023-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Türkiye has been among the most welcoming for Syrian healthcare workers who have been forced from their homes due to the protracted conflict in Syria. It provides two main routes for work in Türkiye: one through formal accreditation processes to work in jobs equivalent to Turkish doctors and another through retraining as generalists to work in the Migrant Health Centres which cater to Syrian refugees across Türkiye. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of Syrian physicians living or working in Türkiye.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used purposive and snowball sampling to identify Syrian physicians who were living or working in Türkiye at the time of the study. Interviews were conducted remotely in Arabic between February and August 2021 then transcribed and thematically analysed using a deductive approach to identify themes and subthemes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty three physicians were interviewed; 6 were female. Most resided in Gaziantep (15 of 23). The main themes are grouped as 1. Bureaucratic and academic challenges 2. Language, culture, and integration and 3. Personal impacts and future intentions. Many participants spoke of the prolonged journeys and challenges they faced whichever paths they chose; for many, obtaining ratifications of their certificates from the Syrian ministries was not possible, limiting their options. Themes around integration-related to language and culture (both in healthcare and in the community) also emerged.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Though Türkiye has provided the most favourable circumstances for Syrian physicians in the region, many personal and structural challenges remain; these impede successful career progress and integration. The interviews were conducted in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, economic and political upheavals and natural disasters have affected perceptions towards Syrian refugees in Türkiye, including for physicians. In early December 2024, the fall of Syria's regime will also likely have important impacts on physician intentions for remaining in Türkiye, return to Syria or migrate elsewhere. Further exploration of the impact of such changes is required to better understand the current experiences and intentions of Syrian physicians in Türkiye.</p>","PeriodicalId":39823,"journal":{"name":"Human Resources for Health","volume":"23 1","pages":"63"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12606977/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145496977","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Work experiences, burnout, and psychological distress of frontline health professionals during the COVID-19 omicron epidemic: a multicenter cross-sectional study in Southern China.","authors":"Xiuyuan Shi, Pei Xie, Zhiming Zhou, Yunpeng Zhao, Kanru Luo, Gang Liu, Xinxin Han","doi":"10.1186/s12960-025-01030-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12960-025-01030-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic has substantially increased burnout and psychological distress among frontline health professionals. Although this issue has been widely recognized, limited research has explored specific work arrangements during the Omicron epidemic and the associations with burnout and psychological distress among frontline healthcare professionals.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a citywide, multicenter cross-sectional survey from July 12 to 26, 2022, during the Omicron outbreak in Shenzhen, China. Participants included physicians, nurses, and health technicians from public hospitals and community health centers. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel (MBI-HSS-MP), and psychological distress was assessed using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Multinomial logistic regression models were constructed to examine associations of specific work arrangements with burnout and psychological distress.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among the 3158 respondents, 85.5% reported high levels of burnout and 50.4% reported psychological distress. Over one-third were consistently assigned to nucleic acid sampling (33.1%) or worked more than 5 days per week on containment tasks (32.0%), in addition to routine duties. Frequent assignments to sampling and extended working days were significantly associated with high emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, depression, anxiety, and stress. For example, those always assigned to sampling had higher risks of emotional exhaustion (RRR = 1.95, 95% CI 1.20-3.15) and depression (RRR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.16-3.48). Negative emotions during work and dissatisfaction with current work arrangements were also strongly associated with poor mental health outcomes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study highlights the burnout and mental health burden among frontline health professionals linked to specific emergency work arrangements during COVID-19 containment. Our findings underscore the need for targeted institutional design in future health emergencies. Future preparedness planning should integrate psychological sustainability into emergency protocols, including rotational deployments, support measures, and workload balancing strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":39823,"journal":{"name":"Human Resources for Health","volume":"23 1","pages":"62"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12595798/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145472002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Causes and effects of hospital nursing shortages to consider potential feedback effects: an umbrella review.","authors":"David Jones, Sara Allin","doi":"10.1186/s12960-025-01028-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12960-025-01028-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In Canada and internationally, health systems have experienced rising healthcare staffing shortages in recent years. Specifically, this study seeks to analyse evidence on the causes and effects of hospital nursing shortages, to consider whether shortages may be self-reinforcing. It complements an existing linear healthcare workforce logic model (Sonderegger et al., 2021) by considering whether there may be evidence that implies the existence of feedback loops (a form of system dynamics).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An umbrella review was undertaken to identify both causes and effects of hospital nursing shortages. A two-phase approach was undertaken: first, a review of all articles to identify a common list of factors, and second, a subsequent line-by-line review to ensure comprehensive coding.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The umbrella review identified several specific issues which were both causes and effects of nursing shortages, across a number of articles. This suggests that shortages could be self-reinforcing. For policymakers, the implication is that early intervention is likely to support the resilience and retention of hospital nurses. For researchers, this study highlights the risk of biased coefficients within econometric analysis and provides a testable cross-country hypothesis for the impacts of early intervention.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Overall, this study contributes to existing academic literature and practical policymaking by identifying evidence that nursing shortages may be self-reinforcing. Through proactive intervention to restrain the growth of workforce shortages, policymakers can support the welfare of healthcare service users and nurses themselves.</p>","PeriodicalId":39823,"journal":{"name":"Human Resources for Health","volume":"23 1","pages":"61"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12593840/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145460171","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Are doctors from the complementary and alternative systems of medicine less equal than their allopathic counterparts? Public sector doctors' experiences of recruitment from two Indian states.","authors":"Bhaskar Purohit, Peter S Hill","doi":"10.1186/s12960-025-01032-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12960-025-01032-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Complementary and alternative systems of medicine, which include Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), play a significant role in the Indian healthcare system. Despite many efforts to integrate and mainstream AYUSH, there are significant inequities that disadvantage AYUSH doctors compared to their allopathic counterparts. In this paper, we examine the recruitment-related experiences of contractual AYUSH doctors and make some side-by-side comparisons with those of contractual allopathic doctors from two Indian states.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study, on which this paper reports, is set within a larger qualitative study conducted in India to examine the experiences of public sector doctors with Human Resource Management systems. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 61 participants, including 33 frontline doctors and 28 policy actors. We employed purposive sampling to select doctors from two states. Data collection occurred from February to October 2019. Thematic analysis, utilizing the Framework Approach, was applied to organize and synthesize qualitative data based on themes identified from the data. We also developed job histories from the interviews with the doctors to explore their experiences with the recruitment system. The quantitative data gathered through job histories were analysed using frequencies and triangulated with the narrative accounts provided by the doctors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The paper reports the discontent of AYUSH and allopathic doctors with the recruitment, but this was consistently worse for AYUSH, especially in State 1, in several ways. One, there were significant discrepancies in salaries and allowances between AYUSH and allopathic doctors. Two, AYUSH doctors experienced stagnated career progressions and high job insecurity. Three, the system sabotaged AYUSH doctors' expectations of progressing to regular recruitment in State 1. And four, AYUSH doctors perceived the system to be highly inequitable and unresponsive towards their concerns, particularly in State 1, with critical implications for health services.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This paper highlights the extreme form of inequity perceived and experienced by the contractual AYUSH doctors. The policy and institutional environment surrounding AYUSH integration is weak, and there is a significant failure of institutions to meet the expectations of these doctors. Additionally, there are insufficient translations between policy and practice, leaving larger questions about holistic integration and the inclusion of AYUSH unresolved. Our findings suggest that the subtle nuances discussed in the paper indicate a bias toward allopathic doctors, which may further lead to the marginalization of AYUSH.</p>","PeriodicalId":39823,"journal":{"name":"Human Resources for Health","volume":"23 1","pages":"60"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12590696/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145453529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mismatch between registration possibilities and patients' local health needs, a simulated patient survey in the Paris metropolitan area.","authors":"Raphaëlle Delpech, Henri Panjo, Alexis Costalat, Frédérique Noël, Laurent Rigal","doi":"10.1186/s12960-025-01020-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12960-025-01020-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>We studied the association between GPs' characteristics and the places they practise, in terms of the supply and demand for primary care and of the registration of new patients for ongoing care at the office or for house calls.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>An exhaustive simulated patient survey enabled us to determine the GPs practising in the Paris metropolitan region who were accepting new patients for registration for continuing care at their office and/or for house calls.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We studied the associations between the characteristics of GPs who were accepting new patient registrations and those describing their office location.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In 2017-2018, we contacted 8171 physicians (87.6% of the GPs in the region), 49.70% were willing to register a new patient for office visits and 18.7% for house calls. In both situations (office and visit), doctors who most frequently agreed to register new patients were men in solo practices, who had no secretary and did not practise alternative medicine. GPs in areas with low levels of deprivation and relatively few individuals with costly chronic diseases agreed more frequently than those elsewhere to register new patients. No characteristic describing the supply of primary care was associated with agreement to register new patients.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The difficulties of finding a GP in the most deprived areas and with the most people with chronic diseases suggest the need to develop policies facilitating the settlement of new doctors in such areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":39823,"journal":{"name":"Human Resources for Health","volume":"23 1","pages":"59"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12581403/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145439498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A qualitative study exploring the migration decisions of Irish-trained specialist doctors.","authors":"Tom Pierse, Aimee Maguire, Sean Casey, Daniel Creegan, Eddie Staddon, Gozie Offiah","doi":"10.1186/s12960-025-01025-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12960-025-01025-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Following completion of Higher Specialist Training (HST) in Ireland the majority of doctors pursue a fellowship abroad. Previous research has identified that while most of these doctors return to Ireland within 5 years, a substantial minority remain abroad. This paper aims to explore doctors' decision-making processes along the pathway between qualifying as a specialist and taking up a consultant post in Ireland.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>For this qualitative study, 27 semi-structured interviews were conducted with doctors who qualified in Ireland as a specialist between 2016 and 2021. Maximum Variation Sampling was used to capture the perspectives of doctors across medical disciplines, genders and their current country of residence. Participants were contacted through social media, publicly available email addresses or through gatekeepers. Interviews focused on the personal and professional factors that influenced their career decisions since qualifying as a specialist.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants went abroad after qualifying as a specialist, as this was seen as a requirement for career progression. Participants left with the intention of returning to Ireland. Personal factors, which included proximity to family, a partner's career plan and children's needs, are paramount in the decision to return to Ireland. Personal factors were identified as important both in terms of participants' decision to return to Ireland and the locations within Ireland that they considered. Professional factors acted as a barrier to returning to work in the Irish healthcare system. Participant narratives highlighted that the pathway to an attractive consultant post was not straightforward or predictable. After going abroad, intentions to return to Ireland changed due to children starting school, partners' career plans and securing a permanent consultant post abroad.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Policies to reduce the risk of qualified specialists becoming settled abroad include: regional strategic workforce planning; training for the correct level of specialisation; increased regional training; increasing the speed and flexibility of the consultant recruitment process; and restructuring and increasing the domestic fellowship programme.</p>","PeriodicalId":39823,"journal":{"name":"Human Resources for Health","volume":"23 1","pages":"57"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12574296/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145410327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trends and inequalities of Human Resources for Health across 15 states/territories in Malaysia during 2010-2022.","authors":"Jasmin M Ariff, Lokman H Sulaiman, Chandrashekhar T Sreeramareddy","doi":"10.1186/s12960-025-01029-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12960-025-01029-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The density and distribution of Human Resources for Health (HRH) are critical to achieving universal health coverage. We aimed to study temporal trends in HRH density and state-wise inequalities in Malaysia, 2010-2022.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We obtained state-wise data on HRH (doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, and assistant medical officers) from the Ministry of Health (MOH), and estimates of mid-year population, the human development index (HDI), and Gross National Income (GNI) from the Department of Statistics Malaysia. We estimated trends in HRH density per 10,000 population. Inequalities in HRH density were measured using absolute and relative gaps, and slope index inequality (SII) and concentration index (CI) across the states are ranked high, middle, and low. For geographic inequalities, we estimated absolute and relative dissimilarity indices and the Theil index.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>HRH density increased from 43.77 to 77.65 at an annual rate of change (ARC) of 4.89%. In absolute terms (SII), HRH density in states ranked by HDI and GNI was higher for doctors (9.77) and nurses (7.44), and in relative terms (CI), however, pharmacists (9.62), doctors (8.48), and dentists (6.30) had higher inequalities between the states, indicating higher concentration in higher-ranked states. To attain distributive equality across the states, about 13% of current doctors, nurses, and dentists, and 11% of pharmacists need to be redistributed.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>HRH numbers and density increased across the states. Inequalities analyses showed that HRH are concentrated in higher-ranked states. Our report provides leads and directions for policymakers to achieve an equitable distribution of HRH, essential for achieving Universal Health Coverage.</p>","PeriodicalId":39823,"journal":{"name":"Human Resources for Health","volume":"23 1","pages":"58"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12573982/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145410340","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors influencing the availability of anesthesiologists: a scoping review.","authors":"Zahra Keyvanlo, Fatemeh Kokabisaghi, Mahdi Yousefi, Alireza Sedaghat, Hossein Ebrahimipour","doi":"10.1186/s12960-025-01021-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12960-025-01021-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Access to safe surgery and anesthesia remains a pressing global challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study examines the factors influencing the worldwide availability of anesthesiologists, a critical determinant of effective surgical care.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed a scoping review based on the five-stage Arksey and O'Malley framework. Relevant studies were identified through systematic searches of scientific and grey literature databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, as well as anesthesia-specific websites and journals. The review encompassed publications from May 2015 to November 2023. A multidisciplinary team conducted data extraction and thematic coding using the STEEP(Social, Technological, Economic, Environmental, Political) model, resolving discrepancies through consensus.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 925 screened articles, 63 met the inclusion criteria. The analysis identified 68 distinct factors organized into five STEEP areas. The most frequently cited issues in each category are as follows: (1) Political Factors: These emerged as the most frequently cited, with national and international institutional support for workforce planning identified as a cornerstone issue. (2) Social Factors: Key challenges included limited opportunities for professional development and skills evaluation, compounded by poor work-life balance. (3) Economic Factors: Financial disincentives and excessive workloads stood out as the primary barriers to anesthesiologist availability. (4) Technological Factors: Restricted access to medical training opportunities posed a significant obstacle. (5) Environmental Factors: Though less prominent, these were recognized for their potential to enhance geographical equity and resource access in anesthesia education and service delivery. High-income countries focused on optimizing performance, improving workplace quality, and strengthening retention strategies, while LMICs contended with structural challenges such as resource shortages, workforce migration, and inadequate infrastructure. Across all countries, social issues such as job burnout and work-life imbalance, alongside economic challenges like financial incentives and workload were recurring themes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings illuminate the complex, multifaceted nature of factors affecting anesthesiologist availability. They underscore the necessity for comprehensive strategies that promote collaboration at local, national, and global levels. Addressing the political, economic, social, technological, and environmental dimensions is imperative to ensure safe and effective anesthesia care worldwide.</p>","PeriodicalId":39823,"journal":{"name":"Human Resources for Health","volume":"23 1","pages":"56"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12553181/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145368949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mentorship in African health and clinical research: addressing barriers and building research capacity.","authors":"Chioma Adaora Nwalieji, Francisca Ogochukwu Onukansi, Collins Chibueze Anokwuru, Ogechi Vinaprisca Ikhuoria, Stanley Chinedu Eneh, Moses Ifeatu Nwuzoh, Patrick Yila Shaibu, Temitope Olumuyiwa Ojo, Okoli Chukwudinma Chigozie","doi":"10.1186/s12960-025-01024-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12960-025-01024-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mentorship plays a vital role in building research capacity, advancing evidence-based medicine, and fostering innovation in clinical practice, particularly in Africa, where Human Resources for Health (HRH) remain a persistent and complex challenge. Health mentors offer invaluable support by guiding early-career researchers in both clinical and research domains, thereby contributing to the mitigation of healthcare challenges across the continent. Effective mentorship enhances productivity, research quality, and professional networking opportunities. Africa's HRH landscape is marked by significant obstacles, including the brain drain of experienced professionals, outdated research infrastructure, limited funding, and the absence of structured mentorship programs for emerging researchers. The shortage of skilled mentors deprives young professionals of critical guidance, hindering their ability to produce high-quality research and to effectively address pressing local health issues through evidence-based practice. To address these challenges, this article proposes innovative strategies to actively engage young African researchers and establish structured, sustainable mentorship programs that empower them to participate in research-driven decision-making. It also calls on the African Union to adopt policies that prioritize research and allocate dedicated funding for mentorship initiatives. Additionally, leveraging technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and gamification can enhance mentorship effectiveness, accessibility, and engagement. Moreover, the promotion of international exchange programs would offer young African researchers valuable exposure, broaden their technical skills, and strengthen global networks. In conclusion, strengthening mentorship frameworks, improving research infrastructure, and investing in the next generation of researchers are critical steps toward addressing Africa's health challenges and advancing its scientific leadership.</p>","PeriodicalId":39823,"journal":{"name":"Human Resources for Health","volume":"23 1","pages":"55"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12551157/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145356338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}