Examining the Gender Distribution of Ethiopia's Healthcare Workforce Using a Nationally Representative Health Facility Survey

Hailey Spaeth, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Elizabeth Hazel, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Linnea Zimmerman, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Health systems research that does not disaggregate data by sex could lead to gender-blind evidence and policies. In Ethiopia, the sex distribution of health workers is not consistently reported. We conducted a descriptive study using sex-disaggregated data from Ethiopia to examine patterns among male and female healthcare providers. We used cross-sectional Performance Monitoring for Action data collected from December 2023 to February 2024. Outcome measures included the total number of providers, the median number of providers per facility, and male-to-female ratios, which were stratified by facility type, managing authority, region, and provider type. Our sample has 23,359 males and 25,224 females, or 93 males per 100 females. Male-to-female ratios are highest among specialized health officers (411 males per 100 females) as well as doctors and general practitioners (350 males per 100 females). Females are more represented among lower cadre workers, such as health extension workers (2 males per 100 females). We found that although female health workers make up a larger proportion of the health workforce, facility managers and other higher-paid positions consist of largely male providers, indicating gender imbalances in the health system. All health facility surveys should be disaggregated by provider gender identity, when possible.

Keywords: Gender Dynamics

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