Quality of life and its health and occupational determinants among hospital-based nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Nurses worldwide were exposed to increased levels of occupational stress during the COVID-19 pandemic which could have hindered their level of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This project investigated HRQoL level in nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and its health and occupational predictors. A cross-sectional design was adopted and targeted full-time nurses in Jordan. Study collected data included demographics, 12-item Short Form health survey (SF-12) to measure HRQoL, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), nurses' evaluation of work conditions during COVID-19, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS21). Data was analyzed descriptively to summarize main outcome measures and using multiple linear regression model to identify factors significantly associated with HRQoL. In total 245 nurses successfully completed the survey, 39.6% were males with a mean age of 35±6 years. Participant SF-12 scores were 65.94±17.85 for physical component and 50.09±19.36 mental component. The statistical model significantly explained 53.2% of variance in HRQoL (r2 = 0.534, F = 57.849, p < 0.001). Better sleep quality self-evaluation was significantly associated with higher HRQoL levels, while increased levels of depression, musculoskeletal pain, and financial burden on family were significantly associated with worse HRQoL level. Jordanian nurses' HRQoL level was relatively low during COVID-19. Sleep quality, mental health status, musculoskeletal health status, and financial status were identified as factors possibly influenced HRQoL among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses' quality of life along with their mental and physical health should be considered by healthcare administrators in the remaining period of COVID-19 and in future similar emergencies.