Job satisfaction amongst rural medical aides providing emergency oral health care in rural Tanzania

Objective To investigate to what extent the rural medical aides (RMAs) in T anzania were satisfied with their new (added) role of providing emergency o ral health care services, and to analyse factors influencing job satisfacti on amongst them. Design Cross-sectional survey using a self-administered jo b satisfaction questionnaire. Setting and subjects All 40 RMAs providing em ergency oral health care in rural health centres and dispensaries in Mbeya and Tanga regions, Tanzania. Main outcome measure RMAs ratings of their ove rall satisfaction with the job of providing emergency oral health care. Res ults Overall, 95% of the RMAs were satisfied with providing emergency oral health care. Patient relations, personal time and stress were significantly correlated with overall job satisfaction in providing emergency oral healt h care. Conclusions The RMAs' newly added role of providing emergency oral health care does not seem to generate problems with job satisfaction.