Quality of Working Life (QoWL) among Doctors in the University Hospitals in the Northeastern Thailand
Soonthornvinit W, MD1, Chaiear N, MD, MMedSc, PhD1
Affiliation : 1 Division of Occupational Medicine, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Objective : (1) To assess the quality of working life among doctors in the university hospitals in the northeastern Thailand. (2) To
analyse the strength of association between personal and working factors and good quality of working life (QoWL).
Materials and Methods: A descriptive study was performed. The study population was 910 university doctors in 2 university
hospitals. The self-administration Work-related Quality of Life Scale-2 Online Website (THQWL) questionnaire was used for collecting
data. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression with stratified analysis were used.
Results : There were 339 of 910 (37.3%) completed questionnaires. Majority of doctors (58.6%) rated their QoWL at average. As
these were 7 dimensions of QoWL scales, the doctors rated employee engagement (EET), general well-being (GWB), job career
satisfaction (JCS), and overall (OVL) as good down to average. Control at work (CAW) and working condition (WCS) were rated as
average to good. Stress at work (SAW) was rated as average down to lower. Working hours and financial status were associated to
good QoWL. Limitation of hours of work per week at 50, 60, 70, or 80 was all related to good QoWL. Limitation at 70 hours per week
had the highest strength of association (AOR 3.84, 95% CI: 2.22, 6.62, p<0.001). The AOR of financial status of having savings was
2.12, 95% CI: 1.27, 3.56, p = 0.004 and the AOR of not having health hazards was 2.04, 95% CI: 1.08, 3.85, p = 0.028.
Conclusion : The university doctors had average to good QoWL. Factors positively affecting were their satisfaction with the training
the doctors receive in order to perform their present job and the opportunity to use their abilities at work in JCS dimension. Factors
negatively affecting were stress from being unable to achieve the deadlines and feeling of being under pressure at work in SAW
dimension. In addition, limitation of working hours per week and having savings might be related to good QoWL.
Keywords : Quality of working life (QoWL), Work-related Quality of Life Scale, Doctors, University hospital
