A Study to Assess the Impact of Privatization of Health Care on Working Patterns of Staff Nurses and Their Mental Health

Abstract

The medical care system in India is broadly divided into two sectors: the public health sector and the private health sector. The public sector, managed by the government, includes secondary and tertiary level institutions that provide advanced medical services. Its primary focus, however, is on delivering essential health services through Primary Health Centres (PHCs), now upgraded as Health and Wellness Centres under the Ayushman Bharat Program. A study was conducted to assess the impact of privatization of health care on the working patterns and mental health of staff nurses, as well as its association with selected demographic variables. Data were collected from 200 staff nurses working in private hospitals and government hospitals on a contractual basis, each with at least two years of experience. Using a structured questionnaire, the findings revealed that 65% of nurses were dissatisfied with the effects of privatization on their work patterns, 25% were undecided, and only 10% were satisfied. The results indicate that privatization significantly influences both the working patterns and mental well-being of staff nurses.