Abstract
Kenya is among the countries with an acute shortage of skilled health workers. There have been recurrent health worker strikes in Kenya due to several issues, some of which directly or indirectly affect their health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among healthcare workers in public and mission hospitals in Meru County, Kenya. A cross-sectional study design was undertaken among 553 healthcare workers across 24 hospitals in Meru County. The participants completed the EuroQol-five dimension-five level (EQ-5D-5L) instrument, which measures health status across five dimensions and the overall self-assessment of health status on a visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS). Approximately 66.55% of the healthcare workers reported no problems (i.e., 11,111) across the five dimensions. The six predictors of HRQOL among the healthcare workers were hospital ownership (p < 0.05), age (p < 0.05), income (p < 0.01), availability of water for handwashing (p < 0.05), presence of risk in using a toilet facility (p < 0.05), and overall safety of hospital work environment (p < 0.05). Personal, job-related attributes and work environment characteristics are significant predictors of healthcare workers HRQOL. Thus, these factors ought to be considered by health policymakers and managers when developing and implementing policies and programs aimed at promoting HRQOL among healthcare workers.
Highlights
In 2014, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly consisting of 193 Heads of State, universally adopted resolution A/RES/70/1 on ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ that envisions “A world with equitable and universal access. . . to health care and social protection, where physical, mental and social well-being are assured” (p. 3) [1]
The majority of the respondents reported perfect health, through evidence-based policy development and implementation of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) programs, other health workers with problems stand a chance of attaining a higher HRQOL
This study emphasizes the importance of involving the healthcare workers in the decision-making process of promoting their HRQOL, because some of our results differed with prior studies among healthcare workers
Summary
In 2014, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly consisting of 193 Heads of State, universally adopted resolution A/RES/70/1 on ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ that envisions “A world with equitable and universal access. . . to health care and social protection, where physical, mental and social well-being are assured” (p. 3) [1]. To health care and social protection, where physical, mental and social well-being are assured” The sixtyninth World Health Assembly (WHA) stated that SDG 3, and other health development agendas, could not be achieved without investing in and improving the health workforce [2]. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report titled, “A universal truth: no health without a workforce” [3], it is paramount to put the health workforce at the center of health policy discourse aimed at strengthening health systems, improving public health outcomes, and achieving health development agendas [3]. One of the most significant challenges in the Kenyan health system is a critical shortage of skilled healthcare workers [4]
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