Occupational Hazards, Social Support, and Quality of Working Life in Sub-District Health Promoting Hospitals in Southern Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study

Healthcare personnel working in sub-district health promoting hospitals (SHPHs) are vital to Thailand's primary healthcare system but often face occupational, psychosocial, and organizational challenges that may affect their quality of working life (QWL). This study aimed to assess QWL and identify its key predictors among SHPH healthcare personnel in southern Thailand. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 340 healthcare personnel in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire covering socio-demographic characteristics, working conditions, occupational hazard exposures, social support, and QWL measured by the 36-item Thai version of the QWL scale. Descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Participants were predominantly female (80.9%) with a mean age of 34.0 years (SD = 9.2), and one-third (33.2%) worked more than eight hours per day. Most participants (75.6%) had moderate hazard exposure, while 73.2% reported high social support. Overall, 51.2% of respondents had good QWL, with safe and healthy working conditions and social relevance of work life rated highest. Regression analysis identified social support (β = 0.790, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and working hours per day (β = 0.109, <i>p</i> = 0.001) as positive predictors, while work experience (β = -0.064, <i>p</i> = 0.049) was a negative predictor (R² = 0.655). These findings emphasize the need for organizational strategies that strengthen social support and effectively manage working conditions, including the organization of working hours, to promote sustainable quality of working life among healthcare personnel in Thailand's primary healthcare system.