Level of job satisfaction among pharmacists in public and private health sectors in Zambia: a preliminary study

Abstract

Objectives: Low job satisfaction levels among pharmacists are associated with poor motivation and performance in the workplace. However, in Zambia, the job satisfaction levels of pharmacists remain unknown. Therefore, the aim of this article was to explore levels of job satisfaction among pharmacists from the public and private health sectors in Zambia.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among Zambian pharmacists between April and August 2019. We used a previously validated self-administered questionnaire to measure job satisfaction. We sent out 200 questionnaires, of which 156 (78.0%) were returned. Bivariate analysis and an adjusted general linear regression model were fitted to determine factors affecting job satisfaction levels.

Key findings: Among 156 respondents, 46 (29.5%) were males, 114 (73.1%) and worked in the public sector. Overall, the mean job satisfaction score of the responding pharmacists was 3.05 (SD = 0.64) (on a scale of 1-5). Job satisfaction scores were significantly lower for pharmacists working in the public health sectors (regression coefficient (β), -0.34; 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.59 to -0.10), adjusting for age, sex and income. Income was independently associated with levels of job satisfaction.

Conclusions: Overall, pharmacists in Zambia were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with their job. Nevertheless, pharmacists working in the private sector were more likely to report higher job satisfaction levels than those in the public sector. Therefore, the present study findings could contribute to developing and refining rational criteria to increase job satisfaction in pharmacy settings.

Keywords: Zambia; job satisfaction; pharmacists; private sector; public sector.