A systematic review of the determinants of job satisfaction in healthcare workers in health facilities in Gulf Cooperation Council countries

Job satisfaction among healthcare workers is essential for maintaining high-quality care. Previous research has shown different levels of job satisfaction, but there is no comprehensive list of determinants of job satisfaction among healthcare workers. This study aims to provide a comprehensive list of determinants of job satisfaction in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar). A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines across five databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus. Two independent reviewers performed data extraction and review using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) quality assessment checklist. The review was undertaken between 1 January 2012 and 4 November 2022. Five hundred titles and abstracts were screened, yielding 73 eligible studies for inclusion in this review. Of the included studies, 60 were carried out in Saudi Arabia (82.2%), six in Oman (8.2%), three in Qatar (4.1%), two in the United Arab Emirates (2.7%), one in Kuwait (1.4%), and one in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (1.4%). The analysis identified 14 key determinants of job satisfaction among healthcare workers in GCC: pay, promotion, co-workers, supervision, fringe benefits, contingent rewards, operating conditions, nature of work, communication, workload, leadership style, relation with patients, demographic variables, and others, such as hospital type. Thus, our study expands on Spector’s nine determinants model of job satisfaction, hence providing a wider and more detail insight into job satisfaction in workplace.