title: Factors affecting retention of allied health professionals working with people with disability in rural New South Wales, Australia: discrete choice experiment questionnaire development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper describes the development of a discrete choice experiment (DCE) questionnaire to identify the factors (attributes) that allied health professionals (AHPs) working with people with disability identify as important to encouraging them to remain practising in rural areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 97 purposively selected service providers working with people with disability in rural New South Wales, Australia. Focus groups and interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analysed using a modified grounded theory approach involving thematic analysis and constant comparison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six attributes that may influence AHPs working with people with disability in rural areas to continue to do so were inductively identified: travel arrangements, work flexibility, professional support, professional development, remuneration, and autonomy of practice. The qualitative research information was combined with a policy review to define these retention factors and ensure that they are amenable to policy changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of various qualitative research methods allowed the development of a policy-relevant DCE questionnaire that was grounded in the experience of the target population (AHPs).
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Research, School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Building 3, Campbelltown Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, New South Wales, 2751, Australia. g.gallego@uws.edu.au.|Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Cumberland Campus, East St, PO Box 175, Lidcombe, New South Wales, 1825, Australia. g.gallego@uws.edu.au.
authors.forename: Gisselle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gallego
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia. a.dew@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dew
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Cumberland Campus, East St, PO Box 175, Lidcombe, New South Wales, 1825, Australia. Kim.Bulkeley@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bulkeley
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Cumberland Campus, East St, PO Box 175, Lidcombe, New South Wales, 1825, Australia. Craig.Veitch@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Veitch
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Cumberland Campus, East St, PO Box 175, Lidcombe, New South Wales, 1825, Australia. Michelle.Lincoln@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lincoln
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Cumberland Campus, East St, PO Box 175, Lidcombe, New South Wales, 1825, Australia. Anita.Bundy@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bundy
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Cumberland Campus, East St, PO Box 175, Lidcombe, New South Wales, 1825, Australia. Jennie.Brentnall@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jennie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brentnall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D066086:Health Services for Persons with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D010558:Personnel Loyalty; D010560:Personnel Selection; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D057766:Policy; D019035:Rural Health Services; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014937:Work; D000078329:Workforce; D055815:Young Adult