Conference abstract
Understanding the factors influencing women to voice their opinions in decision-making in Tanzanian primary health facility management teams
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2024:21(4).29
Apr 2024.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2024.21.4.2335
Archived on: 29 Apr 2024
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Primary health facility, women´s voices, healthcare
Oral presentation
Understanding the factors influencing women to voice their opinions in decision-making in Tanzanian primary health facility management teams
Chrispina Narcis Tarimo1,&, Henry Mollel1, Doreen Mucheru1, Elizabeth Lulu Genda1, Agness Mpinga1, Eilish McAuliffe1, Anosisye Kesale1
1Gendered Leadership Advancing Structure and Systems (GLASS PROJECT), Mzumbe University, Mzumbe, Tanzania
&Corresponding author
Introduction: in Tanzania, women make up the majority of the healthcare workforce while underrepresented in leadership roles and decision-making platforms. Little is known about the factors influencing few women leaders in primary health facilities to voice their opinions. This study aimed to assess the factors within selected Tanzanian regions, aiming to understand and address the barriers to women's active participation in decision-making.
Methods: cross-sectional study analysed gender dynamics in leadership within health facilities across Kagera, Kilimanjaro, and Njombe regions. Health Facility Management Teams (HFMTs) from 25 centers were sampled, with 136 questionnaire responses and 18 interviews. Factors influencing women to voice were examined using standardized tools, validated and pre-tested for reliability. Quantitative analysis used SPSS for descriptive statistics and multilinear regression, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis with NVIVO.
Results: findings indicate that factors influencing women to voice opinions in decisions-making in HFMTs are conducive environments, organizational support, and leadership style while individual barriers like lack of confidence and inferiority complex as contributing factors. A significant statistical association between women voicing opinions and those with leadership positions within HFMTs (p=0.0363) their region (p = 0.0001) and participation score in voicing during decision making (p=0.0011).
Conclusion: limited female representation in leadership leads to reluctance among those few to voice their opinions in the forum hindered by inferiority complex, lack of confidence, fear of repercussion, and limited opportunities to voice. Healthcare systems should foster supportive environments and implement policies promoting gender diversity to enhance participation and achieve balanced representation beyond numerical representation.
Understanding the factors influencing women to voice their opinions in decision-making in Tanzanian primary health facility management teams
Chrispina Narcis Tarimo1,&, Henry Mollel1, Doreen Mucheru1, Elizabeth Lulu Genda1, Agness Mpinga1, Eilish McAuliffe1, Anosisye Kesale1
1Gendered Leadership Advancing Structure and Systems (GLASS PROJECT), Mzumbe University, Mzumbe, Tanzania
&Corresponding author
Introduction: in Tanzania, women make up the majority of the healthcare workforce while underrepresented in leadership roles and decision-making platforms. Little is known about the factors influencing few women leaders in primary health facilities to voice their opinions. This study aimed to assess the factors within selected Tanzanian regions, aiming to understand and address the barriers to women's active participation in decision-making.
Methods: cross-sectional study analysed gender dynamics in leadership within health facilities across Kagera, Kilimanjaro, and Njombe regions. Health Facility Management Teams (HFMTs) from 25 centers were sampled, with 136 questionnaire responses and 18 interviews. Factors influencing women to voice were examined using standardized tools, validated and pre-tested for reliability. Quantitative analysis used SPSS for descriptive statistics and multilinear regression, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis with NVIVO.
Results: findings indicate that factors influencing women to voice opinions in decisions-making in HFMTs are conducive environments, organizational support, and leadership style while individual barriers like lack of confidence and inferiority complex as contributing factors. A significant statistical association between women voicing opinions and those with leadership positions within HFMTs (p=0.0363) their region (p = 0.0001) and participation score in voicing during decision making (p=0.0011).
Conclusion: limited female representation in leadership leads to reluctance among those few to voice their opinions in the forum hindered by inferiority complex, lack of confidence, fear of repercussion, and limited opportunities to voice. Healthcare systems should foster supportive environments and implement policies promoting gender diversity to enhance participation and achieve balanced representation beyond numerical representation.
