Factors Shaping the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study in Ghana

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the working conditions and mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs) across the globe. Little is understood of the factors influencing the mental health of HCWs in low-and middle-income countries like Ghana, which faced significant challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic due to their overburdened healthcare systems. Our study qualitatively examined the multilevel factors influencing HCWs' mental health in response to the pandemic in Ghana, as well as coping strategies. Our study characterized the multilevel factors that impacted the mental health of HCWs in Ghana responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, sources of mental health support, and HCWs' coping strategies. Overall, HCWs reported experiencing anxiety, stress, fear, and depression. The key drivers of these distresses were on the institutional level, particularly the inadequate capacity and preparedness of the healthcare system and HCWs to respond to the pandemic and its impact on workers' working conditions and COVID-19 risk. Despite the distressing impact of the pandemic on their work, personal lives, and health, most HCWs reported not receiving needed psychological or other support from their workplace administration or government stakeholders that could help address the pandemic's mental health impact. Our study found that fear and anxiety were the most reported psychological distresses experienced by HCWs, followed by stress and depression, which is consistent with findings from a cross-sectional survey on mental health among HCWs in Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic