Health-Related Quality of Life Among Hospitality Workers in Egypt: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Egypt’s hospitality sector employs a large workforce exposed to well-documented occupational stressors, including physical demands, shift work, emotional labor, and job insecurity, yet their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) remains poorly characterised. This cross-sectional study surveyed hotel employees across multiple Egyptian establishments using the validated Arabic SF-36, with non-parametric statistics applied given non-normal score distributions. General health perception scores were critically low, with the vast majority of workers falling below the scale midpoint, a finding more characteristic of populations managing serious chronic conditions than of those in active employment. Functional area emerged as the strongest determinant of HRQoL across all eight domains, producing distinct role-specific profiles. Gender and position level were also significant predictors. These findings identify Egyptian hospitality workers as an underserved population carrying a substantial health burden, warranting mandatory occupational health screening and role-differentiated clinical referral pathways.