A cross-sectional study on the pursuit of happiness among healthcare workers in the context of health systems strengthening: The case of Meru County, Kenya.

Background: Happiness is one of the ultimate goals of every human being. Happiness is a significant factor of health system efficiency. Healthcare workers are at the core of every health system. However, up-to-date literature on happiness among healthcare workers is limited. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing the self-assessed happiness among healthcare workers in public and mission hospitals in Meru County, Kenya. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, a total of 553 healthcare workers in 24 hospitals completed the Orientations to Happiness questionnaire between June and July 2020. Results: Healthcare workers’ overall happiness was significantly different between hospitals of public and mission ownership (p<0.05). The orientations to happiness mean scores of both pursuits of pleasure and meaning were significantly different between public and mission hospitals (p<0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in the pursuit of engagement among the healthcare workers between public and mission hospitals (p<0.05). In both public and mission hospitals, income and the type of toiletry facility were significant factors of overall happiness (p<0.05 or p<0.1). In mission hospitals, eight more variables were statistically significant factors of overall happiness namely type of employment, occurrence of water unavailability, safe drinking water, acceptable main source of water, type of toiletry facility, hospital disposal of garbage, availability of water for hand washing, and overall safety of the hospital working environment (p<0.05 or p<0.1). In public hospitals, additional statistically significant factors of overall happiness were qualification level, and a functional workplace safety and health committee (p<0.05 or p<0.1). Conclusion: Demographic, work-related, and physical work environment factors significantly contribute to healthcare workers overall happiness in both mission and public hospitals. The findings present possible areas of focus for policy and practical implications related to healthcare workers’ happiness aimed at health workforce and health systems strengthening in Kenya.

A cross-sectional study on the pursuit of happiness among healthcare workers in the context of health systems strengthening: The case of Meru County, Kenya.

Background: Happiness is one of the ultimate goals of every human being. Happiness is a significant factor of health system efficiency. Healthcare workers are at the core of every health system. However, up-to-date literature on happiness among healthcare workers is limited. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing the self-assessed happiness among healthcare workers in public and mission hospitals, Meru County, Kenya. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, a total of 553 healthcare workers in 24 hospitals completed the Orientations to Happiness questionnaire between June and July 2020. Results: Healthcare workers’ overall happiness was significantly different between hospitals of public and mission ownership (p<0.05). The orientations to happiness mean scores of both pursuits of pleasure and meaning were significantly different between public and mission hospitals (p<0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in the pursuit of engagement among the healthcare workers between public and mission hospitals (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our results may have policy and practical implications related to healthcare workers’ happiness policies and programs in future, aimed at health workforce strengthening. Future studies should replicate this study across the remaining 46 counties in Kenya.

Orientations to Happiness between the Dark Triad Traits and Subjective Well-Being

Previous research investigated the linkage between the Dark Triad traits and subjective well-being, but the factors explaining individual differences in terms of cognitive strategies for achieving happiness remained poorly understood. This study (N = 460) examined the indirect effects of orientations to happiness in the link between dark personality traits and subjective well-being in terms of life satisfaction and positive emotion. Participants completed a questionnaire comprising the Dark Triad Questionnaire, the Orientations to Happiness scale, the Satisfaction with Life scale, and the PANAS. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and partial correlations, and structural equation model were applied to the data. Zero-order and partial correlations showed no significant associations of Machiavellianism and psychopathy with subjective well-being measures, and positive associations of narcissism with the three orientations to happiness and the two dimensions of subjective well-being. Indirect effects indicated that the bright side of narcissism sought the pursuit of the emotional component of SWB by adopting engaging activities. Further studies should replicate our findings.

Measurement of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Orientations to Happiness: The Spanish Orientations to Happiness Scale

Understanding happiness and well-being has been one of the central issues for psychologists in recent decades. Happiness orientations have been identified as important pathways toward different types of well-being, and so the development and validation of scales for their measurement is an important step in their study. The present research aims to adapt and validate the Spanish Orientations to Happiness Scale (SOTH), a 6-item scale based on the Orientations to Happiness Questionnaire. This brief scale, which measures hedonic and eudemonic orientations, was administered to 1,647 Spanish workers. Scale structure was subjected to exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analysis to obtain evidence of factorial validity. Evidence for convergent validity was assessed by correlating the scale with two measures of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, and discriminant validity was assessed with the average variance extracted (AVE). Results of EFA showed a two-factor solution, and CFA partially supported this structure, χ2(8,N= 793) = 36.61, p < .001; RMSEA = .06; SRMR = .05; CFI = .97; ACFI = .96. Results also demonstrated appropriate convergent and discriminant validity. The SOTH Scale has been shown to be reliable (CR indices > .72) and valid (AVE = .50), and so it is a valuable tool for assessing orientations to happiness in the Spanish context. Finally, the scientific value and practical utility of the scale are discussed.

Differences in the Way to Conceive Happiness Relate to Different Reactions to Negative Events

This paper aimed to assess whether differences in the way to conceive happiness, measured by the Orientations to Happiness measure, were associated with specific reactions to negative events. We hypothesized that among orientations to pleasure (portraying hedonism), to meaning (representing a eudaimonic approach to life), and to engagement (derived from the experience of flow), orientation to meaning would have displayed a stronger protective role against recent negative and potentially stressful events. After providing a validation of the Italian version of the Orientations to Happiness measure (Study 1), we performed regression analyses of the three orientations on positive and negative emotions linked to a self-relevant negative event (Study 2), and moderation analyses assessing the interactive effects of orientations to happiness and stressful events on well-being indicators (Study 3). Our findings supported the hypotheses. In Study 2, meaning was associated with positive emotions characterized by a lower activation (contentment and interest) compared to the positive emotions associated with pleasure (amusement, eagerness, and happiness). In Study 3, only meaning buffered the effect of recent potentially stressful events on satisfaction with life and positive affect. Results suggest that orientation to meaning might help individuals to better react to negative events.