As community health workers perform their tasks, several aspects of their health suffer that may hinder the successful execution of their duties. This consequently leads to inaccessibility of appropriate health services to the people they serve. This descriptive, cross-sectional study aimed to describe the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and healthcare behavior of Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) in Zamboanga City. It was carried out among 272 BHWs selected using proportionate stratified random sampling technique. The data were obtained using two validated instruments: 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12v2) and Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The HRQOL is the subjective evaluation of health status measured by 8 domains: physical functioning, social functioning, role limitation due to physical problems, role limitation due to emotional problems, mental health, energy and vitality, bodily pain and general perception of health. Results revealed that “physical functioning” and “energy and vitality” domains garnered the highest scores. Meanwhile, BHWs scored lowest in “bodily pain” and “mental health.” Overall, the health-related quality of life of BHWs was“average” with a mean score of 75.9±12.1 (46.6-100 99% CI). In terms of healthcare behavior, HPLP-II measured the respondents’ frequency of engagement in health behaviors related to physical activity, nutrition, spiritual growth, stress management, health responsibility and interpersonal relations. The total HPLP-II score was 152.7 ± 21 (100-208 99%CI), which corresponds to “moderate” level. BHWs demonstrated “high” frequency in behaviors under “spiritual growth” (29.8 ± 4.5) whereas the lowest score among the domains was noted in “physical activity” (21.8 ± 4.6). In conclusion, the HRQOL and healthcare behavior of BHWs in Zamboanga City were average. This implies that their health and wellness are neither poor nor good. Health-promoting interventions are still recommended to achieve optimal HRQOL and health-promoting behavior of these workers.

Keyword: Health-related quality of life and healthcare behavior