Assessment of the Quality of Life Among Prison Employees in Kosovo: A WHOQOL-BREF Analysis

Abstract

This study used the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) of prison staff in Kosovo. A cross-sectional survey of 622 staff members from different Kosovo prison facilities was carried out between June and August 2023. To measure quality of life, 26 items from four domains (physical health, psychological health, social interactions, and environment) were included in the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. According to the study, the general health score was 57.8, the environment and social connection domains had the lowest scores, and the overall QoL mean score was 68.1. In the environment domain, there were notable gender disparities, with females scoring better. Significant psychological and social relationship differences were associated with marital status, favoring married persons. Increased results in every domain were positively correlated with increased educational attainment. Age-related differences were seen, with the age group of 31 to 40 exhibiting the highest level of psychological well-being. Correctional staff performed the best in physical and psychological domains, while healthcare workers performed the worst. The results emphasize that customized interventions are required to promote social support, educational possibilities, and work environment circumstances to improve the general well-being of prison staff. By addressing these variables with focused techniques, QoL can be significantly improved, benefiting the prison system and the workforce.

Keywords

• quality of life
• whoqol-bref
• prison employees
• kosovo