Iyanda A.B.^*, Adigun O. O.^** and Olasunkanmi E. I.^*

^*Department of Health Education, University of Ibadan

^**Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, Ibadan.

Abstract

The migration of healthcare workers has become a critical issue in Nigeria, particularly in public tertiary hospitals, where the loss of skilled professionals threatens the stability of the healthcare system. Despite efforts to retain healthcare workers, many continue to migrate due to various socio-economic and professional factors. This study was examined the push and pull factors influencing migration intentions among healthcare workers in public tertiary hospitals in Ibadan. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and a multistage sampling procedure was used to select 100 healthcare workers in public tertiary hospitals in Ibadan. Self-developed and validated questionnaire tagged Push and Pull Factors Questionnaire(r=0.87)and Migration Intention Scale (r=0.91) were the instruments for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency counts, percentages, mean, and standard deviation) inferential statistics of t-test and multiple regression to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings indicated that a significant proportion of healthcare workers expressed dissatisfaction with job conditions, with 66% reporting poor work-life balance and 61% stating that their salary was inadequate. The study revealed a significant joint contribution of pull factors (job satisfaction, working conditions, and career development opportunities) to healthcare worker migration (F(3,96) = 12.941; p < 0.05), with these factors accounting for 26.6% of the variance (R² = 0.266). Similarly, push factors (political instability, weather condition and insecurity) had a significant joint contribution to migration (F(3,96) = 14.683; p < 0.05), explaining 29.3% of the variance (R² = 0.293). Gender differences were observed, with female healthcare workers reporting a higher tendency to migrate than their male counterparts. The impact of migration was also evident, as 97% of respondents confirmed an increased workload due to colleagues leaving, while 81% stated that migration negatively affected the quality of healthcare provided.

The study concluded that healthcare worker migration was influenced by both push and pull factors. These findings underscored the need for policy intervention; improve working conditions, increase salaries, and enhancement career of development opportunities. Additionally, the study recommended that management of health facilities should strengthen staff support systems and implement targeted retention strategies to mitigate the ongoing brain drain in the healthcare sector.