Abstract
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the global crisis of stress and burnout among healthcare workers. But few studies have empirically examined the factors driving these outcomes in Africa. Our study examined associations between perceived preparedness to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare worker stress and burnout and identified potential mediating factors among healthcare workers in Ghana.
Methods
Healthcare workers in Ghana completed a cross-sectional self-administered online survey from April to May 2020; 414 and 409 completed stress and burnout questions, respectively. Perceived preparedness, stress, and burnout were measured using validated psychosocial scales. We assessed associations using linear regressions with robust standard errors.
Results
The average score for preparedness was 24 (SD = 8.8), 16.3 (SD = 5.9) for stress, and 37.4 (SD = 15.5) for burnout. In multivariate analysis, healthcare workers who felt somewhat prepared and prepared had lower stress (β = -1.89, 95% CI: -3.49 to -0.30 and β = -2.66, 95% CI: -4.48 to -0.84) and burnout (β = -7.74, 95% CI: -11.8 to -3.64 and β = -9.25, 95% CI: -14.1 to –4.41) scores than those who did not feel prepared. Appreciation from management and family support were associated with lower stress and burnout, while fear of infection was associated with higher stress and burnout. Fear of infection partially mediated the relationship between perceived preparedness and stress/burnout, accounting for about 16 to 17% of the effect.
Conclusions
Low perceived preparedness to respond to COVID-19 increases stress and burnout, and this is partly through fear of infection. Interventions, incentives, and health systemic changes to increase healthcare workers’ morale and capacity to respond to the pandemic are needed.
Funder
University of California, San Francisco
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Reference54 articles.
1. Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. COVID-19 Map [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2020 Jun 9]. https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html
2. World Health Organization. WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19. World Health Organization. 2020 Jul 17;
3. World Health Organization. Over 10 000 health workers in Africa infected with COVID-19 [Internet]. WHO | Regional Office for Africa. 2020 [cited 2020 Aug 10]. https://www.afro.who.int/news/over-10-000-health-workers-africa-infected-covid-19
4. The Three Steps Needed to End the COVID-19 Pandemic: Bold Public Health Leadership, Rapid Innovations, and Courageous Political Will;JL Guest;JMIR Public Health Surveill,2020
5. Preparedness of Frontline Doctors in Jordan Healthcare Facilities to COVID-19;A Suleiman;Outbreak. Int J Environ Res Public Health,2020
Cited by
64 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献