emotional intelligence as a predictor of public health leadership competencies in khyber pakhtunkhwa
1
DG health-Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, National institutes of Health, Peshawar, Pakistan
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
effective public health leadership is essential for strengthening health systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as Pakistan. in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, medical doctors are frequently assigned to leadership roles at district and provincial levels without formal training in leadership or public health competencies. emotional intelligence (ei), the ability to perceive, manage, and use emotions effectively, has been associated with leadership success in various disciplines, yet its role in public health leadership remains underexplored in this context. this study aimed to assess the association between emotional intelligence and public health leadership competencies among medical doctors serving as public health specialists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
METHODS:
a quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among medical doctors (n≈230) working in district health offices and the directorate general health services, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, from October 2025 to march 2026. data were collected using the Wong and law emotional intelligence scale (Wleis) and a structured questionnaire adapted from the who-aspher public health competency framework. descriptive statistics, pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression were applied using spss version 25, with p<0.05 considered significant.
RESULTS:
preliminary analysis indicated moderate to high levels of self-reported emotional intelligence (mean score 5.6±0.7) and public health competencies (mean score 4.1±0.6). a statistically significant positive correlation was found between overall ei and public health competency scores (r=0.42, p<0.001). multiple regression analysis demonstrated that ei remained an independent predictor of public health competencies after controlling for age, gender, cadre, years of service, and postgraduate training (β=0.38, p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS:
emotional intelligence is significantly associated with higher public health leadership competency levels among medical doctors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. integrating EI-based training modules into leadership development programs could enhance the effectiveness of the public health workforce and strengthen health systems performance in Pakistan.
effective public health leadership is essential for strengthening health systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as Pakistan. in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, medical doctors are frequently assigned to leadership roles at district and provincial levels without formal training in leadership or public health competencies. emotional intelligence (ei), the ability to perceive, manage, and use emotions effectively, has been associated with leadership success in various disciplines, yet its role in public health leadership remains underexplored in this context. this study aimed to assess the association between emotional intelligence and public health leadership competencies among medical doctors serving as public health specialists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
METHODS:
a quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among medical doctors (n≈230) working in district health offices and the directorate general health services, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, from October 2025 to march 2026. data were collected using the Wong and law emotional intelligence scale (Wleis) and a structured questionnaire adapted from the who-aspher public health competency framework. descriptive statistics, pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression were applied using spss version 25, with p<0.05 considered significant.
RESULTS:
preliminary analysis indicated moderate to high levels of self-reported emotional intelligence (mean score 5.6±0.7) and public health competencies (mean score 4.1±0.6). a statistically significant positive correlation was found between overall ei and public health competency scores (r=0.42, p<0.001). multiple regression analysis demonstrated that ei remained an independent predictor of public health competencies after controlling for age, gender, cadre, years of service, and postgraduate training (β=0.38, p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS:
emotional intelligence is significantly associated with higher public health leadership competency levels among medical doctors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. integrating EI-based training modules into leadership development programs could enhance the effectiveness of the public health workforce and strengthen health systems performance in Pakistan.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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