Mental health disorders among post graduate residents in Kenya during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background Healthcare workers, including residents, are prone to various mental health disorders especially given the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents, particularly, are already under undue stress due to their respective training program demands. Methods This cross-sectional, online survey-based study from August to November 2020 collected demographic and mental health measurements from all residents at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. The questionnaire investigated demographic variables, information regarding direct care of COVID-19 patients, prior history of mental health and mental health outcomes using the Patient Health Questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale, Insomnia Severity Index, Impact of Event Scale–Revised Questionnaire and Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index Questionnaire. Results A total of 100 residents completed the survey (participation rate 77.5%). Participants were about equal in gender (women [53%]), with a median age of 31.28 years, and majority were single (66.7%). A total of 66 participants (66%) were directly engaged in COVID-19 care. Depression: 64.3%, anxiety: 51.5%, insomnia: 40.5%, distress: 35.4%, and burnout: 51.0% were reported in all participants. Statistical significance was found in median depression, professional fulfillment and interpersonal disengagement when comparing frontline resident directly involved in care of COVID-19 patient versus second line residents. Conclusion Residents directly involved with caring for COVID-19 patients had statistically higher incidences of depression and interpersonal disengagement and lower professional fulfillment compared to second line residents. Keeping in mind the limited resources in sub-Saharan Africa, urgent and geographically specific strategies are needed to help combat mental health disorders in this specific population.

Post-traumatic stress in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…209 articles continued to the full text screening stage, of which 119 studies were selected for inclusion in our meta-analysis with a total of 117,143 participants ( Table 1A ). All 119 studies were cross-sectional observational studies ( Agberotimi et al., 2020 ; Alah et al., 2021 ; Ali et al., 2020 , 2022 , 2021 ; Alonso et al., 2021 ; Alshehri and Alghamdi, 2021 ; Asnakew et al., 2021 ; Ayalew et al., 2022 ; Azoulay et al., 2021 ; Bassi et al., 2021 ; Benzakour et al., 2022 ; Bizri et al., 2022 ; Bonzini et al., 2022 ; Bulut et al., 2021 ; Caillet et al., 2020 ; Caliandro et al., 2022 ; Carmassi et al., 2022 , 2021a , 2021b ; Chang et al., 2022 ; Chan et al., 2021 ; Chatzittofis et al., 2021 ; Chaudhary et al., 2021 ; B. Chen et al., 2022 ; Cheng et al., 2020 ; Chen et al., 2021 ; Chew et al., 2020 ; Chowdhury et al., 2021 ; Civantos et al., 2020a , 2020b ; Cortés-Álvarez and Vuelvas-Olmos, 2020 ; Costantini et al., 2022 ; Crowe et al., 2022 ; Demartini et al., 2020 ; Dobson et al., 2021 ; Dykes et al., 2022 ; Ergai et al., 2022 ; Essadek et al., 2022 ; Fattori et al., 2021 ; Geng et al., 2021 ; Gilleen et al., 2021 ; Gorini et al., 2020 ; Guo et al., 2021 ; Hajure et al., 2021 ; Hasanvandi et al., 2022 ; Honarmand et al., 2022 ; Hong et al., 2021 ; Huarcaya-Victoria et al., 2022 ; …”

The COVID-19 pandemic’s risk factors for depression among postgraduate healthcare students

“…In the United States, during the pandemic, in addition to reports of mental fatigue and depressive symptoms, there was an increase of 14.57% in anxiety rates among graduate students (Camacho-Zuñiga et al, 2021). In the same period, 64.3% of postgraduate students in Kenya experienced some degree of insomnia, distress, mental exhaustion, and depression (Ali, Shah, Du, Leekha, & Talib, 2022). These findings were also experienced in Brazil, where graduate students had high scores for mental disorders, especially anxiety, stress, and depression (Scorsolini-Comin, Patias, Cozzer, Flores, & Hohendorff, 2021).…”