The perception of health professions on causes of interprofessional conflict in a tertiary health institution in Abakaliki, southeast Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
Interprofessional conflict in university teaching hospitals in Nigeria is on the increase. This study was aimed at assessing the health professions' perception of factors responsible forconflict.


METHODS
A cross-sectional descriptive survey among six health professions.


RESULTS
The perceived causes of conflict include differential salary between doctors and others, physician intimidation and discrimination of other professions, "inordinate ambition" of the other professions to lead the health team, and envy of the doctor by the other professions. Doctors differed significantly from the other professions on the role of each of these in causing conflict. Mutual respect for each other's competence, proper remuneration and clear delineation of duties for all, and other groups appreciating the salary differential between them and doctors were perceived as means of resolving the conflict. While all accepted mutual respect and proper remuneration as effective, other health workers differed significantly from doctors on the effectiveness of appreciating salary differential between them and doctors in resolving the conflict.


CONCLUSIONS
Differential salary between the doctor and the other health workers is the main factor perceived to cause interprofessional conflict. The government and all health professions should accept, and maintain the relativity in salary differential between doctors and other health professions.
Ogbonnaya
L U
LU
Department of Community Medicine, Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. uluogbonnaya@yahoo.com
Ogbonnaya
C E
CE
Adeoye-Sunday
I M
IM
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006281:Health Occupations / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010465:Perception; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits