The effect of the factors of service quality provided by the Ministry of Health and prevention on the well-being of the population in the United Arab Emirates: the mediating role of customer satisfaction

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of service quality factors provided by the Ministry of Health and Prevention in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on population well-being, with customer satisfaction as a mediating variable. The research is motivated by the growing importance of enhancing quality of life and promoting societal well-being in line with the UAE government’s strategic vision. Specifically, the study investigates the impact of the five service quality dimensions (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) on customer satisfaction and population well-being, and evaluates the mediating role of customer satisfaction. A quantitative, deductive approach was adopted using a structured questionnaire based on the SERVQUAL model. Data were collected from 384 participants through quota sampling, and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (SEM-PLS). Reliability and validity were confirmed through Cronbach’s alpha, convergent validity, and discriminant validity tests. The findings reveal that responsiveness, assurance, and empathy directly and significantly enhance population well-being, while tangibility and reliability exert no direct effect but positively influence customer satisfaction. Furthermore, customer satisfaction was found to partially mediate the relationship between service quality and well-being, highlighting the importance of enhancing user experience as an indirect pathway to improving social well-being indicators. This study contributes to the literature on healthcare service quality by integrating the SERVQUAL model in the UAE context and offers evidence-based recommendations for policymakers to strengthen service strategies that promote sustainable customer satisfaction and community well-being.