Abstract-Most studies on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of teachers focused on work stress and mental health problems and ignore issues of their physical health problems and ignore isues of their physical health problems. Students on the HRQoL of teachers in Malaysia are also limited. This study has been conducted to investigate the HRQoL in teachers of the largest primary and secondary schools in Shah Alam. The study utilised the SF36v2 questionnaire which elicits data on HRQoL factors measured using eight domains, namely, physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional and mental health.
A cross-sectional study was conducted and teachers were selected using simple random sampling from the largest primary and secondary schools in Shah Alam. The SF36v2 questionnaire with socio demographic information was distributed to the teachers and collected within one week. A total of 175 teachers participated in the study, of which 89 areb primary and 86 are secondary school teachers. Descriptive analyses and independent samples t-test were used to analyse the data.
It is found from this study that the HRQoL of schoolteachers are lower than the general population norm for most of the domains axcept general health and bodily pain. Primary schoolteachers performed better in role physical and role emotional compared to secondary schoolteachers. However, secondary schoolteachers have better physical functioning compared to primary schoolteachers. Physical functioning of the schoolteachers is affected by marital status, type of school and teaching experience. Their role physical is affected by age, type of school and appointment s classroom teacher and their role emotional is affected by age, type of school and appointment as classroom teacher. Schoolteachers in this study have shown that they have problems with their health related quality of life. The limitation of this study is that it is conducted at one largest primary school and secondary school in urban Shah Alam and urban areas in Malaysia. Howwer , it should be noted that Shah Alam is a growing urban settlement and an industrial city thus this study has been able to provide some evidence that the HRQoL of teachers in an urban area are much lower than the general population norm. Thus, it is a guide to policymakers and authorities in the education field to develop better policies and suitable programs to improve the quality of life of teachers.
Keywords – Health-related quality of life (HRQoL), Schoolteachers, SF36v2, physical health, mental health
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