Factor Analysis of Solutions for Improving Occupational Empowerment of Rural Female-Headed Households: A Case Study of Shirvan County of Iran

This study aimed at assessing solutions for improving occupational empowerment of rural female-headed households. Female-headed households in Shirvan (N=3287) formed the population of this descriptive- correlation study. The sample size was determined by using Cochran's formula (n=120), and two-stage cluster sampling method was used for selecting samples. The validity of the questionnaire was approved by a panel of academic experts. Pre-test and calculation of Cronbach's alpha coefficients were used to measure the reliability (0.75-0.87). The data were analyzed using SPSS 20. The results showed that the main cause of women to be head of households was the death of their husbands; there had been covered 44.20% of respondents by the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee (RA) and 5.80% by the General Directorate of Social Welfare, and 50% had not been covered by any of the funding agencies. Using factor analysis method, solutions for improving occupational empowerment of rural female-headed households were catagorized into four factors including: training-supportive, individual-psychological, housing, job training, warranty and support through institutions, and social and health insurance. These factors could explain 60.42% of the total variance of strategies to improve job empowerment of rural female-headed households.