Objective
To assess the health-related quality of life (QOL) of doctors and nurses using the recent free-access data.
Methods
The health-related QOL data of doctors and nurses came from a sub-survey of the Fourth National Health Services Survey (NHSS) of China in 2008, which used the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions 3 level version (EQ-5D-3L) to measure the QOL. We used logistic regression to compare the percentage of respondents reporting any problems for each dimension of the EQ-5D-3L descriptive system between inhabitants aged 15–64 years and doctors and nurses.
Results
Fewer doctors and nurses reported problems in mobility (1.9%) than inhabitants aged 15–64 years (2.9%) (odds ratio = 0.65). No difference was detected in self-care problem. Compared with inhabitants aged 15–64 years, a relatively large proportion of doctors and nurses reported problems in usual activities (3.4% vs. 2.7%; odds ratio = 1.27), pain/discomfort (18.1% vs. 6.7%; odds ratio = 3.08), and anxiety/depression (24.6% vs. 5.1%; odds ratio = 6.07). The EQ-VAS score mean of doctors and nurses approached that of inhabitants aged 15–64 years (82 vs. 79).
Conclusion
Compared with inhabitants aged 15–64 years, doctors and nurses have relatively poor health in usual activities, self-reporting pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression.