Features of the social structure of feldshers of feldsher-obstetric stations (on the example of the Nizhny Novgorod region)

BACKGROUND: The health indicators of the rural population of our country are worse than those of urban residents. An important link in the protection of the health of the rural population are feldshers and obstetric stations, the main problem of which is the shortage of personnel.

AIM: The purpose of the study is to identify the features of the social structure of feldshers of feldshers-obstetric stations that affect the formation of the personnel of this health care unit at the present stage.

METHODS: The study was conducted based on the materials of a questionnaire survey of 122 feldshers of the feldsher-obstetric stations of the Nizhny Novgorod region. The survey provided for obtaining information about the age, gender, duration of work, and the age of commencement of work of feldshers directly in the feldsher-obstetric centers.

RESULTS: The results showed the predominance of women (95.1±2.0%). The proportion of feldshers aged 50 to 54 years was the largest in the age structure — 25.0±4.0%, as well as the previous and subsequent age groups: from 45 to 49 years — 13.1±3.0%, from 55 to 59 years — 13.9± 3.1%. According to the duration of work in feldsher-obstetric centers, specialists with work experience from 30 to 34 years prevail — 41.5±4.4%. There is a tendency to employ specialists with work experience in feldsher-obstetric centers: with a minimum number of feldshers in the age groups of 20–24 years and 25–29 years, there is a fairly significant proportion of specialists with little work experience: from 0 to 4 years — 13.9± 3.1%, from 5 to 9 years — 10.7±2.7%; only 58.2% of the survey participants reported that they started working in a feldshers -obstetric center at the age of 20 to 24 years.

CONCLUSION: The most important feature of the social structure of feldshers of feldsher-obstetric stations is the sharp predominance of women, an extremely low proportion of specialists of young age groups, while the formation of personnel is carried out through the processes of professional migration from other departments of district hospitals or other medical organizations, and not through the employment of college graduates.