Quality of Working Life among Pharmacists in Vietnam: A Preliminary Study using an Internet-Based Survey

Abstract

Introduction: The Quality of Working Life (QWL) is an important factor for achieving high-performance effectiveness from workers. Despite the importance of studying QWL to enhance worker satisfaction and performance, little information has been presented in Vietnam on healthcare human resources. Aim: This study aimed to measure the QWL among pharmacists in Vietnam through an Internet-based survey. Materials and Methods: Research was carried out via a crosssectional study among 185 Vietnamese pharmacists between December 2016 and February 2017. The questionnaire contained 34 items, including questions regarding demographical characteristics and six categories of QWL. These six categories were job and career satisfaction, general well-being, stress at work, control at work, home-work interface, and working conditions. Descriptive statistical analysis, a Mann-Whitney U test and a Kruskal-Wallis H test were utilized to explore the relationship between demographics and QWL. Results: Of the 185 pharmacists surveyed, the average age was 26.65±3.99 and almost two thirds of the sample had a Bachelor degree. Most of the respondents were working in the business and distribution of pharmaceuticals (n=98, 53.0%) and spent about 25 to 50 hours per week working (n=149, 80.5%). The mean overall QWL score was 3.21 out of 5.00 with a Standard Deviation (SD) of 0.58. The QWL score for job and career satisfaction was the highest (mean=3.37, SD=0.7), while the stress at work subscale had the lowest score (mean=2.92, SD=0.94). The factors that affected overall QWL were line of work (χ2 =14.341, p=0.006), total income (χ2 =12.132, p=0.007), adequate income (U=2356.500, p<0.001), and working hours per week (χ2 =7.868, p=0.049). Conclusion: This study on the QWL of pharmacists has demonstrated that aiming to create and maintain a healthy work life for pharmacists is vital to enhance their performance and productivity. The most significant associations were found between QWL and line of work, total income, adequate income, and working hours per week, which could offer managers opportunities to launch appropriate strategies to improve the work lives of their employees.

Keywords

• income
• quality of life