ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of burnout and associated factors among nurses during COVID-19 in central Uganda.DesignA cross-sectional design.SettingNurse from one referral and four general hospitals. These were reception centres and cared for patients with COVID-19 in central Uganda.Participants395 nurses.Main outcome measuresBurnout scores.ResultsOf the total 395 participants, 65.1% (n=257) were female; 40% (n=158) had a diploma; 47.1% (n=186) were single; and 39.2% (n=155) had worked for 11–15 years. The results show that 40% (n=158), 41.77% (n=165) and 18.23% (n=77) reported high, average and low levels of burnout, respectively. The results show that the predictors of nurses’ burnout were personal protective equipment (PPE) (OR: 7.1, 95% CI 4.08 to 12.31) and increased workload (OR 4.3, 95% CI 2.43 to 7.93).ConclusionThis study of nurses working in hospitals dealing with patients with COVID-19 in central Uganda reported high rates of burnout, and it was associated with PPE and workload. Interventions like contracting new nurses to reduce workload, the WHO guidelines on PPE, adjusting working hours and ensuring hours of effective rest should be adapted.

Methods: Participants included 395 nurses. They provided details about their demographic information. Stamm's Professional Quality of Life V-5 was used to assess the levels of compassion fatigue. Statistical analysis included Pearson's chi-square and Fischer's exact test, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. A p-value of <.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of the total 395 participants, 58.23% (N = 230) were female, 39.76% had a diploma, 47.09% were single, 43.54% had worked for 11-15 years, 54.94% had an exposure to COVID-19 cases and 43.54% worked for more than 10 hr a day. 49.11% had high levels of compassion fatigue. The predictors of compassion fatigue were working experience (p-value = <.001), exposure to COVID-19 (p-value = <.019), long working hours (p-value = .003) and remuneration (p-value = <.001).

Background Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ugandan healthcare system was already under severe strain due to a lack of human resources, poor working conditions, and poor management. At the center of these challenges are nurses, the backbone of the health system. This study investigated post-traumatic stress disorder and associated predictive factors during the second wave of COVID-19 among frontline nurses in the country. Participants and Methods This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted among 601 nurses between May and June 2021. Post-traumatic stress disorder was assessed using PTSD Checklist-Civilian. The bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the factors predicting PTSD. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant at 95% CI. Results The estimated prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder was 65.7%. In the multivariate logistic regression, the predictive factors of PTSD among the study participants were social support (AOR: 0.49; 95% CI: 034–0.60; p ≤ 0.001), fear of getting infected with COVID-19 (AOR: 3.10; 95% CI: 2.17–4.43; p < 0.001) and increased workload (AOR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.16–2.34; p < 0.001). Conclusion The results of the study highlight the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of front-line nurses. Assessing PTSD among nurses may increase the understanding of COVID-19 induced mental health issues. Identifying the risk factors like lack of social support and heavy workload and providing treatment is essential given that various waves of COVID-19 seem inevitable. Supportive strategies like counseling should be provided to the nurses to prevent or manage PTSD.

Background In Uganda, unintended pregnancies are responsible for one in three births with detrimental consequences, a situation that worsened during COVID-19. Thus, the present examined unplanned pregnancy and its associated risks in Oyam district, northern Uganda during the COVID-19 epidemic. Methods and Methods This study employed a cross-sectional study among adolescent girls aged 15–19 years who had a pregnancy during the second phase of COVID-19 in Oyam district, northern Uganda in November 2022. A consecutive method was employed to recruit the participants attending health facilities. A structured questionnaire was utilized to collect data. For data analysis, both bivariate and multivariable regression methods with adjusted odds ratio and 95% CI were used. A p-value of 0.05 was used to determine the significance level. Results Of the total respondents, 292 (69.5%) were aged between 18 and 19 years of age, 295 (70.2%) lived in rural areas, and 222 (52.9%) had no formal education. The results also show that 293 (69.8%) of the respondents had unintended pregnancies during COVID-19. The results indicate that participants who lacked knowledge of the ovulation period (AOR: 0.242; 95% CI: 0156–0376; P<0.001), sex education during COVID-19 (AOR: 0.563; 95% CI:: 0.365–0.869; P=0.024) and lacked the freedom to discuss family planning-related issues with family members during COVID-19 (AOR: 0.228; 95% CI: 0.138–0.376; P<0.001) were more likely to have an unintended pregnancy compared to their counterparts. Conclusion Our study shows that unwanted pregnancies among adolescent girls remain a public health issue in Oyam district with more than two-thirds of adolescents having unwanted pregnancies during the crisis of COVID-19. The major correlates of unwanted pregnancies among adolescent girls during COVID-19 pandemic were inadequate knowledge of the ovulation period, sex education, and lack of freedom to discuss family planning-related issues with family members. There is a need to prioritize interventions, especially in rural settings. Sex education to improve contraceptive use and delay sexual debut. In light of the possibility that social and cultural norms in the Oyam district prohibit parents and children from discussing sexual subjects, it is crucial to promote sexual health education through the mass media, including newspapers, television, radio, and social media.

Background Compassion fatigue is associated with negative consequences that undermine workplace performance. However, literature is scarce on compassion fatigue among nurses in the context of Uganda who are at higher risk of compassion fatigue owed to the nature of their occupation and the unfavorable work environment. We aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of compassion fatigue among nurses in Northern Uganda. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 395 randomly selected nurses from two referral and four general hospitals in Northern Uganda. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and logistic regression at a 95% level of significance in SPSS version 25. Results Of 395 nurses who took part in the study, 58.2% were female, 39.8% had a diploma, 47.1% were single, and 32.4% had worked for between 11–15 years. Close to 50% of the nurses experienced compassion fatigue. The predictors of compassion fatigue among the participants were; workplace bullying (AOR: 3.83; 95% CI: 1.99–7.36; p = <0.001) career enhancement opportunities (AOR: 9.16; 95% CI: 2.32–36.22; p = 0.002; and remuneration (AOR: 7.30; 95% CI: 2.73–19.49; p = <0.001). Conclusion More than 3 in 4 nurses in Northern Uganda experience compassion fatigue. The Ministry of Health together with other stakeholders should strive to increase career enhancement opportunities for nurses, improve nurses’ remuneration and improve the overall workplace environment to prevent compassion fatigue among nurses in the country.