Intention to migrate among recently qualified health professionals : a South African exploratory study.

Abstract

This dissertation provides an overview of international migration and its relation to development, with specific reference to the issue of health professional migration from the global South to the global North. It aimed to assess the migration intentions and migration potential within a sample of recently qualified health professionals within South Africa through an online survey. Registers comprised of 4804 psychologists and medical practitioners were used to invite participation in an online survey. A low response rate of only 132 respondents was obtained. The analysis included scale validation and multiple regression analyses in order to assess four criterion variables, namely: „long-term migration plans‟; „migration timeframe‟; „concrete migration plans‟; and „short-term migration plans‟. „Long-term migration plans‟ was significantly predicted by non-professional factors, such as safety and stability, citizenship salience, information and a comparison with a destination country according to personal factors, such as personal safety and general conditions. „Migration timeframe‟ was significantly predicted by information and the expected professional prospects within South Africa. „Concrete migration plans‟ was significantly predicted by information and a comparison with a destination country according to professional factors, such as income levels, job satisfaction and professional prospects. The multiple regression model for „short-term migration‟ proved to not be significant, with no significant predictors. These findings imply that policy interventions must address multiple levels beyond merely improving professional conditions, which is a common strategy for the management of health professional migration. It is clear from this study that the phenomenon of migration is a complex and dynamic issue at local, regional, national and global levels.