PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
BACKGROUND: The 2022 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak occurred at a time when Uganda was still battling the social and psychological challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic; placing health care professionals (HCPs) at a much higher risk of developing psychological distress. Psychological distress among HCPs can cause decreased workplace productivity and ineffective management of their patients. The current study aimed to investigate and understand psychological distress among HCPS in Mbarara city in Southwestern Uganda following the 2022 EVD outbreak.
METHODS: We enrolled 200 HCPs through convenient sampling from one private and one public health facility in Mbarara city in Southwestern Uganda, in a cross-sectional convergent parallel mixed method approach where qualitative and quantitative data were collected concurrently. Quantitative data, utilizing the Kessler Psychological Distress (K10) Scale, provided us with a quantitative measure of the prevalence of psychological distress among HCPs, and were analyzed using STATA version 16. Qualitative data, on the other hand, offered deeper insights into the nature, perceptions, and contextual factors influencing this distress, and were analyzed using emergent theme analysis.
RESULTS: The prevalence of psychological distress was 59.5% and it was higher among females (63.9%) compared to males (36.1%). HCPs vividly expressed distress and anxiety, with heightened suspicion that every patient might be an EVD carrier, creating a pervasive sense of unsafety in the workplace. However, the outbreak had an educational affect where concerns about the announcement of another EVD outbreak were diverse, with HCPs expressing anxiety, despair, and dissatisfaction with the country\'s management of potential outbreaks.
CONCLUSIONS: High levels of psychological distress were experienced by HCPs in Southwestern Uganda as a result of the 2022 EVD pandemic. HCPs express a wide range of feelings, such as dread, anxiety, despair, pessimism, and discontent with the way the outbreaks are handled throughout the nation. We recommend implementation of comprehensive psychosocial support programs tailored to the unique needs of HCPs, including counseling services, stress management workshops, and peer support networks.
METHODS: We enrolled 200 HCPs through convenient sampling from one private and one public health facility in Mbarara city in Southwestern Uganda, in a cross-sectional convergent parallel mixed method approach where qualitative and quantitative data were collected concurrently. Quantitative data, utilizing the Kessler Psychological Distress (K10) Scale, provided us with a quantitative measure of the prevalence of psychological distress among HCPs, and were analyzed using STATA version 16. Qualitative data, on the other hand, offered deeper insights into the nature, perceptions, and contextual factors influencing this distress, and were analyzed using emergent theme analysis.
RESULTS: The prevalence of psychological distress was 59.5% and it was higher among females (63.9%) compared to males (36.1%). HCPs vividly expressed distress and anxiety, with heightened suspicion that every patient might be an EVD carrier, creating a pervasive sense of unsafety in the workplace. However, the outbreak had an educational affect where concerns about the announcement of another EVD outbreak were diverse, with HCPs expressing anxiety, despair, and dissatisfaction with the country\'s management of potential outbreaks.
CONCLUSIONS: High levels of psychological distress were experienced by HCPs in Southwestern Uganda as a result of the 2022 EVD pandemic. HCPs express a wide range of feelings, such as dread, anxiety, despair, pessimism, and discontent with the way the outbreaks are handled throughout the nation. We recommend implementation of comprehensive psychosocial support programs tailored to the unique needs of HCPs, including counseling services, stress management workshops, and peer support networks.
摘要：
背景：2022年埃博拉病毒病（EVD）爆发时，乌干达仍在与COVID-19大流行的社会和心理挑战作斗争；使医疗保健专业人员（HCP）面临更高的心理困扰风险。HCP中的心理困扰会导致工作场所生产力下降和患者管理不力。本研究旨在调查和了解2022年EVD爆发后乌干达西南部姆巴拉拉市HCPS的心理困扰。
方法：我们通过方便地从乌干达西南部姆巴拉拉市的一个私人和一个公共卫生机构取样，登记了200个HCP，采用横截面收敛平行混合方法，同时收集定性和定量数据。定量数据，利用凯斯勒心理困扰(K10)量表，为我们提供了HCPs中心理困扰患病率的定量测量，并使用STATA版本16进行了分析。定性数据，另一方面,提供了对自然更深刻的见解，感知，以及影响这种痛苦的环境因素，并使用紧急主题分析进行了分析。
结果：心理困扰的患病率为59.5％，女性（63.9％）高于男性（36.1％）。HCPs生动地表达了痛苦和焦虑，人们越来越怀疑每个病人都可能是埃博拉病毒携带者，在工作场所产生普遍的不安全感。然而,疫情对教育产生了影响，人们对宣布另一次埃博拉病毒病疫情的担忧各不相同，HCP表达焦虑，绝望,以及对该国对潜在疫情的管理不满。
结论：由于2022年EVD大流行，乌干达西南部的HCP经历了高水平的心理困扰。HCPs表达了广泛的感情，如恐惧，焦虑,绝望,悲观,以及对全国各地疫情处理方式的不满。我们建议实施针对HCPs独特需求的全面社会心理支持计划，包括咨询服务,压力管理研讨会，和对等支持网络。
方法：我们通过方便地从乌干达西南部姆巴拉拉市的一个私人和一个公共卫生机构取样，登记了200个HCP，采用横截面收敛平行混合方法，同时收集定性和定量数据。定量数据，利用凯斯勒心理困扰(K10)量表，为我们提供了HCPs中心理困扰患病率的定量测量，并使用STATA版本16进行了分析。定性数据，另一方面,提供了对自然更深刻的见解，感知，以及影响这种痛苦的环境因素，并使用紧急主题分析进行了分析。
结果：心理困扰的患病率为59.5％，女性（63.9％）高于男性（36.1％）。HCPs生动地表达了痛苦和焦虑，人们越来越怀疑每个病人都可能是埃博拉病毒携带者，在工作场所产生普遍的不安全感。然而,疫情对教育产生了影响，人们对宣布另一次埃博拉病毒病疫情的担忧各不相同，HCP表达焦虑，绝望,以及对该国对潜在疫情的管理不满。
结论：由于2022年EVD大流行，乌干达西南部的HCP经历了高水平的心理困扰。HCPs表达了广泛的感情，如恐惧，焦虑,绝望,悲观,以及对全国各地疫情处理方式的不满。我们建议实施针对HCPs独特需求的全面社会心理支持计划，包括咨询服务,压力管理研讨会，和对等支持网络。
