Abstract

Background: A male subject is one of the two staff members of the studied subcenter—the grass root-level facility to provide comprehensive primary health care to the community—working as a multipurpose health worker (MPHW). The extent of services that a male health worker is anticipated to provide under the MPHW scheme is extensive and comprises promotive, preventive, and curative services.

Objective: (1) To assess the time spent by MPHW in each activity through a time–motion study; (2) to assess the MPHW’s and medical officers’ perceptions about priority given to MPHW’s tasks.

Materials and Methods: A time–motion study comprising time–motion observations of time consumed in each activity, the content of the activity, structured interviews for data about personal and professional profiles of the respondents, and their insights about the work was conducted at Kanbha primary health center (PHC), Daskroi taluka, Ahmedabad district, Gujarat, India, in October 2013.

Result: The mean age of the MPHW was 26.33 ± 5.13 years. The average starting time of the MPHW during the observed days was found to be 9:54 am and the average ending time of work was 2:16 pm, making the average total working hours as 4 h 21 min, which was 4 h and 39 min less than the designated time. Maximum time (30.17%) was spent sitting idle in the cabin, reading newspaper, and doing nonwork-related activities.

Conclusion: Highest time was spent for sitting idle and lunch break, and the main works such as field activity and immunization were given much less time. The priorities given to the tasks of MPHW by the MPHWs and MOs differ, which shows the confusion between the superior authority and the MPHWs.

Key words: Time–motion study, MPHW, Kanbha PHC