Abstract:
This research is cross-sectional descriptive research. Its objective was to study the
factors that affected the performance of the health workers against the standard criterion of
primary care units in Nakhonratchasima province, Thailand. Relationships amongst personal
characteristics, work inspiration, working atmosphere in the organization, and performance of
the health workers were analyzed. The population in the research was health staff working at
the primary care units. The data were collected through questionnaires posted to 254 samples.
There were altogether 204 complete returned questionnaires or 80.31 percent. In addition,
there were another 14 samples the researcher personally interviewed.
From the research it was found that the performance of most of the health
workers was at a high level at 76.5 percent (X = 3.74 and S.D. = 0.48). The inspiration was
high at 90.2 percent (X = 3.86 and S.D. = 0.38). The level of the awareness of the working
atmosphere of the organization was high at 83.8 percent (X = 3.83 and S.D. = 0.44). When
analyzing the relationship of the personal characteristics and the performance in accordance
with the standard criterion of the primary care units by Chi-Square, it was found that marital
status was significantly statistically related at 0.05 (P-value = 0.037). When analyzing the
relationship of the performance in accordance with the standard criterion of the primary health
care units by Pearsons Product Moment Correlation Coefficient it was found that the
inspiration was positively related to the performance of the health workers working at the
primary care units in accordance with the standard criterion of the primary health care units at
a significant level of 0.05 (r = 0.424 and P-value < 0.001). The working atmosphere in the
organization was positively related at a significant level of 0.05 (r = 0.557 and P-value <
0.001). When analyzing the factors affecting the performance of the health workers at the
primary care units in accordance with the standard criterion of the primary health care units by
using Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis, it was found that the organizational atmosphere
in terms of size and structure, and warm relationship amongst the co-workers can explain the
variation at 27.50 percent.
From the research it is recommended that team work and good relationships of
the staff are encouraged in the primary care units, and inspiration to improve performance and
work is also to be encouraged.