Abstract

The present study describes the level of job satisfaction and its selected correlates of Public Health Officers - PHO who are working in District of Hambantota. Three hundred and twenty six (326) Public Health Officers who are working in District of Hambantota are included in the study as a convenient sample. Job satisfaction was assessed with thirty questions under the ten sub headings which were developed based on two factor theory of Harzburg et al. A majority 153 (59.5 %) of the public Health Officers- PHO had scored their level of job satisfaction as neither satisfied nor dissatisfied and 65 (23.7 %) are satisfied. However 39 (15.2 %) of the study population are not satisfied while 1.6% are strongly satisfied and none of them are strongly dissatisfied. A majority 226 (88 %) of the PHO are satisfied on support exerted at MOH level. More than half of the PHO are not satisfied on existing appraisal system, promotion based on work performance, extra payment and salary increment within the system. This study first of the nature in Sri Lanka and data are not available for comparison. Comparison between studies in local or international literature is difficult and inappropriate unless the working seek. Study shows that motivational factors affect more than hygienic factors to the employee. Experience as a PHO, presence of immediate supervisor, age of the PHO and number of children n has significant influence on job satisfaction while total population, mode of travelling, place of residence, and distance from place of residence to the field has no significant influence on job satisfaction. Improving basic facilities in working environment, appointing PHNS of SOHM for each MOH area, provision of efficient feed back at MOH level, conducting regular in service programmes to update the knowledge are the main recommendations.