Health Care Professionals’ Quality of Life during COVID-19 Pandemic

Aim: The present study aimed to describe health care professionals’ quality of life during COVID19 pandemic Saudi Arabia. Methodology: The cross-sectional study included a survey that was prepared using the world health organization quality of life assessment instrument (WHOQOL). To provide a good quality of care and to achieve patient satisfaction on the care received, it is important to know how satisfied health care personnel are with their quality of life and job because the personnel with a good quality of life offer better services than those with poor quality of life. Results: The present study showed that the quality of life of about two third of the health care providers was good. Nonetheless, about one third of them had a poor quality of life. Conclusion: There is a need to implement long term programs aimed at improving the emotional well-being of health care specialists and improving their quality of life. Original Research Article Ahmed et al.; JPRI, 33(49B): 257-262, 2021; Article no.JPRI.76663 258


INTRODUCTION
The work in hospitals can be meaningful and personally fulfilling but it is demanding and stressful. Hospitals are health care institutions with a high level of work-related stress, so the work in hospitals could increase the risk of low quality of life [1][2][3][4]. Quality of life is defined by the World Health Organization as the person's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, standards, expectations, and concerns [5].
The Professional Quality of Life is a complex concept associated with the personal characteristics, the work environment, in addition to the relationship between the professional and a traumatic event experienced directly or indirectly [6]. It includes positive results such as compassion satisfaction as well as adverse effects of caring for others, such as burnout and compassion fatigue [7]. The healthcare providers are susceptible to several occupational risks that can affect their quality of work through exposure to radiations, chemicals, psychosocial, and physical hazards [8].
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and lead to several negative consequences including a global increase in hospitalizations due to pneumonia [9]. COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of healthcare workers and their professional quality of life [10]. Healthcare providers play a vital role in helping curb the hazardous health impact of COVID-19 but their lives and major functioning have been prominently affected by COVID-19 pandemic [11].
Healthcare personnel require personal and professional self-care practices, good professional quality of life, listening skills, along with emotion and stress management with the purpose of providing quality care [12]. In recent years, patients' perception of health and quality of life has been the subject of extensive investigation, nevertheless research focusing on the quality of life of healthcare workers is scarce and needs an extensive investigation [13]. The present study aimed to describe health care professionals' quality of life during COVID-19 pandemic Saudi Arabia.

METHODOLOGY
The cross-sectional study included a survey that was prepared using the world health organization quality of life assessment instrument (WHOQOL). The data were collected during September 2021 and included doctor, pharmacists and other health care professionals from different cities in Saudi Arabia. So, medical students and other professionals are excluded from the study.
The survey was prepared as an online form using Google Forms and was sent to be filled by health care professionals through social media. The results were extracted from the online form into excel sheet and was represented as numbers and percentages. Respondent confidentiality was maintained and the results don't contain any personal data.
The self-administered survey included several parts, each part was shown in a separate table. The first part included personal data of the respondents (age, gender, marital status, living place, and profession), the second part included 3 questions about health care professionals' rating of their quality of life, the third part included 12 questions about the extent to which health care professionals' requirements are met, and the fourth part included 9 questions about health care professionals ' life satisfaction.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The survey was filled by 101 health care professionals. More than 55 % of the respondents were females and the age of 73.27% of them was between 20 and 29 years. About 38.62% of the respondents were from Riyadh and 30.69% of them were from Al-Kharj. About 36.64% of the respondents were clinicians and 30.69% of them were pharmacists. The personal data of the respondents were shown in Table 1. Table 2 shows health care professionals' responses about rating their quality of life. About 59.41% of the health care providers said that their quality of life is good, 65.35% of them were satisfied with their health, and 43.57% of them are able to get around well. Table 3 shows the extent to which the requirements of health care professionals are met. About 45.54% of the respondents informed that they don't enjoy life considerably and 31.68%do not feel their life to be meaningful. Moreover, 44.55% of the respondents said that they are not able to concentrate well and 29.70% of them don't feel safe in their daily life and 37.62% of them don't have enough energy for everyday life. Furthermore, 30.69% of the respondents don't accept their bodily appearance and 38.61% of them informed that they have at least one of the negative feelings such as blue mood, despair, anxiety, and depression. Table 4 shows the satisfaction of health care professionals with living standards. About 43.56% of the health care professionals were not satisfied with their sleep and 32.67% of them were dissatisfied with their capacity for work.
Moreover, only 36.63% of the respondents were satisfied with their personal relationships and about 20.79% of them were dissatisfied with conditions of their living place.
More than one third of the healthcare providers are not satisfied with their health and are not able to get around well and think that their quality of life is not good. Moreover, about of third of them don't feel safe in their daily life, don't have enough energy for everyday life and don't accept their bodily appearance. As well, more one third of them don't enjoy life considerably and said that they are not able to concentrate well as well as more one third of them informed that they have at least one of the negative feelings such as despair, anxiety, and depression.

CONCLUSION
To provide a good quality of care and to achieve patient satisfaction on the care received, it is important to know how satisfied health care personnel are with their quality of life and job because the personnel with a good quality of life offer better services than those with poor quality of life. The present study showed that the quality of life of about two third of the health care providers was good. Nonetheless, about one third of them had a poor quality of life. There is a need to implement long term programs aimed at improving the emotional well-being of health care specialists and improving their quality of life.

CONSENT
As per international standard or university standard, respondents' written consent has been collected and preserved by the author(s).

ETHICAL APPROVAL
It is not applicable.