The Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, Burnout and Associated Factors Among Healthcare Workers Post Covid-19 at Martini Hospital in Mogadishu Somalia.

Abstract

Background: Depression is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder and the leading cause of disability, with an estimated 5% of adults worldwide suffering from depression. More than 85% of the global population suffering from mental illness lives in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), with approximately 80% in Africa. Health professionals are prone to developing psychological disorders such as stress, anxiety, depression and burnout syndromes due to the characteristics of their daily work , this became even more pertinent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health workers in Africa face numerous challenges in providing healthcare services to communities with limited resources. Healthcare workers in Somalia operate in a challenging environment characterized by resource constraints, political instability, and the aftermath of prolonged conflict. Depression, anxiety and burnout among healthcare workers results in adverse effects which might include impairment of work performance, reduced productivity and increase in the employee turnover rate. Despite of that, few published studies have been cited concerning these components among hospital healthcare workers in Somalia. Purpose of the study: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with depression, anxiety and burnout among healthcare workers Post Covid-19 at Martini hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia. Methods: This was a hospital based cross sectional study conducted in Martini hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia. Stratified sampling technique was used to recruit 169 health workers. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. PHQ-9, GAD-7 and Burnout assessment tool (BAT) were used to measure depression, anxiety and burnout among healthcare providers respectively. Data analysis: Prevalence of depression, anxiety and burnout were calculated as proportions of the study total sample size. Univariate and multivariable analysis were done using binary logistic regression to determine factors associated with depression, anxiety and burnout. SPSS version 28 was used for analysis. . All statistical tests were interpreted at a 5% level of significance. Results: The average age of the respondents was 29.9(SD± 6.9) years, 57.4% were female, 55.6% had undergraduate level of education , 53.3% were nurses, 37.9% were doctors while 8.9% were laboratory technicians. The prevalence of depression was 56.2%, anxiety was present among 62.7% while burnout symptoms were present in 50.9%. Being aged more than 30 years, earning monthly salary of less than USD 300 and being on contract were independently associated with depression. Age more than 30 years, and being on contract were associated with anxiety. Being married was protective against anxiety. Being male, aged more than 30 years, having more than four children in HH and being a doctor were associated with high level of burnout. Conclusion and recommendations: There is a significant mental health gap characterized with high depression, anxiety and burnout among healthcare providers. There is need to foster a supportive professional environment through mentorship programs and peer support networks to alleviate stress and burnout, particularly among doctors.