PERCEIVED DETERMINANTS OF INTER-PROFESSIONAL CONFLICTS BY COMMUNITY HEALTH PRACTITIONERS AND THEIR PSYCHOSOCIAL CONSEQUENCES ON PHC WORKERS IN OYO, OYO STATE

Abstract

The study examined community health practitioners’ (CHPs) perceptions of the factors driving inter-professional 
conflicts and the associated psychosocial effects on primary healthcare (PHC) workers in Oyo, Oyo State. A 
descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the research. The study population consisted of CHPs who 
had at least three years of working experience in PHCs across four local government areas within Oyo town. Using a 
purposive sampling technique, a total of 112 respondents were selected for participation. Data were collected 
through a validated structured questionnaire, and the instrument’s reliability was confirmed using the split-half 
method, yielding a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.74. The research questions were analyzed using mean score 
ranking, while the stated null hypotheses were tested using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation statistical 
method. The findings indicated that disparities in salaries and incentives (mean = 3.47) were perceived as the 
leading cause of inter-professional conflicts among PHC workers. In terms of psychosocial outcomes, anxiety 
disorders (mean = 3.28) and a lack of teamwork (mean = 3.31) emerged as the most prominent consequences of 
such conflicts, as reported by CHPs in Oyo, Oyo State. Furthermore, hypothesis testing revealed significant 
relationships between the perceived determinants and the occurrence of inter-professional conflicts (r-calculated = 
0.751, which exceeded the critical value of 0.187). Similarly, a significant association was found between the 
perceived psychosocial consequences and inter-professional conflicts (r-calculated = 0.621, also greater than the 
critical value of 0.187). Based on these findings, the study recommended that health policymakers should ensure 
greater equity in staff remuneration and establish effective conflict resolution committees at the PHC level. In 
addition, health authorities were advised to introduce comprehensive psychosocial support services and organize 
regular training sessions on conflict management strategies for healthcare workers.