Obstacles to Women Working in the Health Sector: A Sociological Study on a Sample of Female Health Workers in Taiz City

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the obstacles woman faces to work in the health sector in Taiz city. The researcher used multiple methods: the social survey, the descriptive and the comparative methods to be able to know in depth the obstacles facing women working in the health sector, and whether these issues facing women working in the private health sector differ for women working in the governmental health sector. The data collection utilized a questionnaire tool and targeted female workers in both governmental and private health sectors in Taiz, namely Al-Thawra General Hospital, representing the governmental sector, and Al- Safwa General Hospital, representing the private sector. The sample was selected by a comprehensive survey of all female workers in Al-Thawra Hospital (83workers: 66% of the total sample), and Al-Safwa Hospital (42 workers: 34% of the total sample). The most important results found were: 1- the financial need is the motivation behind women going out to work, and their choice to work in the health sector was due to their passion of working in this field; 2- the most important obstacles facing female workers in the governmental health sector is the lack of incentives and rewards, while in the private sector, financial and administrative corruption ranked first among the constraints. The reasons that pushed women working in the governmental health sector to leave their work are the overload of burdens and responsibilities that are on women, while in the private health sector, the highest percentage of women leave their work due to rampant corruption.