Attracting and retaining health workers in rural areas: investigating nurses views, career choices and potential policy interventions

Abstract

The debate in Kenya over how to ensure there are adequate numbers of nurses in rural areas is poorly informed by evidence, with little known about the relative importance of pecuniary and non-pecuniary incentives. The research aimed to address these gaps in the literature and better understand the determinants of health workers’ choices to help overcome rural-urban disparities. The overall objective was to explore how current and possible future policy interventions might affect employment preferences and influence recruitment to and retention in rural areas for nurses in Kenya