THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF RURAL AND URBAN SAUDI ARABIAN HEALTHCARE WORKERS

Abstract

When it comes to improving a population's health and QOL, nothing is more important than the care that healthcare providers (HCPs) provide. In order for governments to create long-term healthcare systems, it is crucial to comprehend the elements that impact the well-being of healthcare workers. Because healthcare provider performance can be drastically affected by improperly allocating them to certain locations, developed nations play a pivotal role in this area. Purpose: In order to aid in workforce planning in Saudi Arabia in 2021, this study will assess the characteristics that contribute to healthcare practitioners' (HCPs') quality of life (QOL). The research team in this cross-sectional study observed people in both urban and rural parts of Saudi Arabia to draw conclusions. Everyone who provides medical treatment in Saudi Arabia is considered part of the study's population. At least 380 healthcare practitioners were recruited for the study using a probability-stratified random sampling technique. A 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error were required. The study employed a nationally conducted, self-administered online questionnaire that the research team developed to evaluate the quality of life of healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia. The survey was administered at random and the data was collected between June and October of 2021. Descriptive statistics including percentages, means, medians, and standard deviations or interquartile ranges were utilised for analysis in the study. To find out if there were any significant differences between the groups, independent sample T-tests and chi-square tests were computed, with a significance level of p0.05. Findings: 439 people filled out the survey and were considered for the final tally. There were 232 males and 207 females among the participants, for a mean age of 38.8 years (SD= 10.173). There were 28% who were unmarried, 68.6% who were married, and 3.4% who had been through a divorce or widowhood. Hypertension was the most often reported chronic condition in the sample, which had a prevalence of 9.1%. Of the people who took part, 362 (82.5%) were from what is often thought of as an urban society, whereas 77 (17.5%) were from more rural places. City infrastructure, internet availability and speed, and safety and security were more highly rated by urban healthcare practitioners than by their rural counterparts. The cost of living was more satisfying for rural practitioners, though, and both groups were concerned about the quality of transportation. Based on the criteria indicated in the results section, the study concludes that individuals residing in both urban and rural areas are content with their living situations. This proves that the difference is not statistically significant. Health status is the single most critical component in determining life satisfaction. Everything having to do with the city itself—its infrastructure, environmental health, cost of living, internet accessibility, and sporting activities—has a very high satisfaction percentage. There is a high proportion of satisfaction when it comes to individual-related aspects like having supportive connections, feeling physically and emotionally well, and being happy with one's looks.

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