Addressing the mental health needs of healthcare professionals in Africa: a scoping review of workplace interventions.

Journal: Global mental health (Cambridge, England)

Volume: 12

Issue: 

Year of Publication: 

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Psychiatry Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS, USA. Department of Health Planning Research and Statistics, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Nigeria. Geoffrey & Robyn Sperber Health Sciences Library, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Royal United Hospital Bath, Bath, UK. National Mental Health Programme, Department of Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Nigeria.

Abstract summary 

Healthcare workers in Africa face considerable stress due to factors like long working hours, heavy workloads and limited resources, leading to psychological distress. Generally, countries in the global north have well-established policies and employee wellness programs for mental health compared to countries in the global south. This scoping review aimed to synthesize evidence from published and grey literature on workplace mental health promotion interventions targeting African healthcare workers using Social Ecological Model (SEM) and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model as an underlying theoretical framework for analysis. Arksey and O'Malley framework for scoping reviews was used. The search was conducted across multiple databases. A total of 5590 results were retrieved from Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science. Seventeen (17) studies from ten (10) African countries were included after title, abstract and full text screening. Thematic analysis identified 5 key themes namely training programs, counselling services, peer support programs, relaxation techniques and informational resources. In conclusion, even though limited workplace mental health interventions for healthcare professionals were identified in Africa, individual-level interventions have been notably substantial in comparison to organizational and policy-level initiatives. Moving forward, a multi-faceted approach unique to the African context is essential.

Authors & Co-authors:  Harri Bala Isa BI Ogunboye Igbekele I Okonkwo Adaeze A Yakubu Aminu A Kung Janice Y JY Fofah Jenson J Masseyferguson Ojo Tunde OT Eboreime Ejemai E

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations :  Abdelaziz EM, Diab IA, Ouda MMA, Elsharkawy NB and Abdelkader FA (2020) The effectiveness of assertiveness training program on psychological wellbeing and work engagement among novice psychiatric nurses. Nursing Forum 55(3). 10.1111/nuf.12430
Authors :  8
Identifiers
Doi : e31
SSN : 2054-4251
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Other Terms
Africa;health professionals;health promotion;intervention;mental health;workplace
Study Design
Study Approach
Country of Study
Publication Country
England