Nursing and Midwifery Studies

Nursing and Midwifery Studies

Mediating role of general health in relation to sleep quality, quality of life, job burnout, and work-life balance in nurses: A structural equation modeling study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Fatemeh Sadat Asgarian 1
Mohammad Dehghani Kodnoueieh 2
Mehraneh Zakersani 2
Morteza Mortezavi Mehrizi 3
Mahdi Malakoutikhah 1
1 Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
2 Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
3 Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
10.48307/nms.2025.501750.1556
Abstract
Background: Quality of life (QOL) extends beyond physical well-being and is influenced by numerous factors. Job burnout has emerged as a growing concern among nurses in both developed and developing countries.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of general health (GHQ) in the relationships between work-life balance, sleep quality, QOL, and job burnout among hospital nurses.
Methods: Data were collected from 300 nurses working in hospitals in Kashan, Iran, in 2024 using random sampling. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires assessing demographic characteristics, sleep quality, QOL, general health, job burnout, and work-life balance. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the proposed relationships among these variables.
Results: The mean (SD) scores for QOL, general health, job burnout, work-life balance, and sleep quality (QOS) were 60.41 (17.96), 27.49 (14.33), 50.64 (17.04), 74.80 (15.20), and 11.35 (6.56), respectively. SEM results indicated that the proposed model demonstrated a good fit: P < 0.001, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.01, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.92, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.90, χ²/df = 1.72, and standardized root mean squared residual (SRMR) = 0.04.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that hospital managers can enhance nurses’ general health by improving sleep quality, promoting work-life balance, and reducing job stress, thereby mitigating job burnout and ultimately improving overall QOL.
Keywords
Quality of life
Sleep
General health
Job burnout
Work-life balance

Subjects

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Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Volume 14, Issue 4
Autumn 2025
Pages 246-253

  • Receive Date 25 January 2025
  • Revise Date 28 July 2025
  • Accept Date 11 August 2025