Job satisfaction among midwives in low and middle-income countries: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives: The main objective of this study is to assess the level of midwives’ job satisfaction in low- and middle-income countries. Methods: A comprehensive literature search will be carried out using the following databases: Google Scholar, PubMed/Medline, Embase, CINHAL, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Science Direct. This systematic review and meta-analysis will be carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. All identified observational studies reporting the level of job satisfaction among midwives in low- and middle-income countries will be considered. The extracted quantitative data will be analyzed using STATA version 17. Heterogeneity among the included studies will be assessed through the I 2 test statistics. Finally, a random-effects meta-analysis model will be computed to estimate the pooled level of job satisfaction among midwives. Furthermore, publication bias will be assessed using a funnel plot and Egger’s regression test, and sensitivity analysis will be conducted to evaluate the stability of the overall effects in the presence of outliers. The protocol has been registered in the PROSPERO-International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, with the registration number CRD42023400122. Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis will be an important source to identify the level of job satisfaction among midwives working in the health facilities of low- and middle-income countries. Researchers, stakeholders, and healthcare systems also use these and managers to determine why midwives’ levels of job satisfaction are high or low compared to other studies in the future.