Determinants of Health-Related Quality of Life Among Nurses in Palestinian Hospitals

Abstract

Background: Quality of life is a key indicator of general well-being connected to social, emotional, physical, and environmental factors. Objectives: To evaluate the health-related quality of life among nurses employed by Palestinian hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2024. Data were collected from nurses at Palestinian hospitals across the northern, central, and southern regions of Palestine. Data on sociodemographic, professional, and health-related factors were collected, and quality of life was assessed using the Short Form-12 (SF-12) scale, which measures both physical and mental health components. The required sample size was 374 nurses; however, due to an 80% response rate, 301 nurses were included using a convenience sampling method. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine group differences. Results: The mean physical health score was 43.0 ± 10.4, indicating below-average physical well-being, while the mean mental health score was 50.2 ± 17.1, near the population norm. Both physical and mental health components were significantly associated with socioeconomic and occupational variables (income and workplace), age, and intention to leave the hospital (all P ≤ 0.042). Gender was only important in the case of mental health (P = 0.049), and marital status did not show any significant relationship with physical health (P = 0.088) but was significant with mental health (P = 0.033). Conclusions: The study highlights suboptimal health-related quality of life among Palestinian nurses, with greater challenges in physical health compared to mental health. Findings emphasize the role of socioeconomic status, workplace environment, and career stability in shaping quality of life. Interventions targeting workplace conditions, fair compensation, and supportive policies are crucial to improve nurses’ well-being and reduce turnover intentions.