A cross-sectional study of migration and chronic disease among health workers in Botswana

In Botswana, health workers are emigrating to developed countries to seek better opportunities, which also affects their well-being. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between international migration of health workers and chronic disease. This study involves both quantitative and qualitative data. Skype interviews were conducted with 128 health workers working abroad. The snowballing technique was used for forty-five returned health workers while a random sample size of health workers (n = 210) located in health facilities in Gaborone. Logistic regression models were used for analyzing the results. The majority of health workers abroad were in their prime working age. The health workers abroad were more likely to have hypertension (p = 0.01) than those who had returned. The relation between migration and chronic disease in Botswana emphasizes the need to focus not only on the psychological health consequences but also on potential chronic disease consequences.