A cross-sectional study of the quality of work life of hospital pharmacists in southern Vietnam

Abstract Objective This study aims to explore the quality of work life among hospital pharmacists in southern Vietnam, focussing on understanding the specific challenges they face and how occupational stress impacts their overall quality of work life. Given pharmacists’ crucial role in healthcare delivery and the diverse stressors they encounter, particularly amid the global pandemic, investigating their well-being and job performance is paramount. Methods Utilizing the second-generation Work-Related Quality of Life Scale (WRQoLS-2), a cross-sectional study was conducted from April to July 2019 across 31 hospitals in southern Vietnam. The WRQoLS-2, consisting of 32 items related to seven psychosocial factors, was administered to participating pharmacists. Bootstrapping techniques in R were employed to estimate the 95% confidence interval (CI) of mean values and test significant differences. Findings Analysis of 490 valid questionnaires revealed an overall Work-Related Quality of Life (WRQoL) score of 3.508 (95% CI: 3.458–3.553) out of 5. Significant variations in mean WRQoL were observed among pharmacists categorized by gender, employment status, hospital affiliation, participation in continuing pharmacy education, extra work hours, income satisfaction, and number of dependents. Conclusion While hospital pharmacists in southern Vietnam exhibit a reasonable balance between their personal and professional lives, they grapple with notable work-related stress. To address this, employers should adopt supportive strategies aimed at relieving pressure on employees, thereby enhancing their well-being and job performance, especially during challenging times such as the ongoing global pandemic.