Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has seriously affected populations economically, socially, and physically through a decrease in physical activities during the lockdown (Chigevenga et al., 2020). Healthcare workers (HCWs) played a critical role in addressing the medical and psychological needs of patients during the pandemic and have been impacted psychologically by the COVID-19 pandemic (De Kock et al., 2021). Within a range of 10–60% of COVID-19 infections globally, HCWs account for around 10% of all COVID-19 cases (WHO, 2020). The aim of this study was to assess prevalence of symptoms of chronic mental disorders (CMDs) among HCWs and associated factors during COVID - 19 at a tertiary hospital in Zimbabwe. A cross sectional study was therefore carried out at the tertiary hospital targeting fulltime nurses, doctors, laboratory technicians, administration staff, and cleaning staff aged 18 years and older. A sample size of 245 subjects was derived. A questionnaire was administered to healthcare workers at a tertiary hospital in Zimbabwe with 2 sections: 1) Socio-demographic questions and factors which affect symptoms of CMDs and 2) The WHO Self-reporting-20 (SRQ-20) mental health screening tool questions which included questions about feelings of sadness, physical symptoms of mental disorders, suicidal ideation as well as effects on daily living activities. A random sampling technique was used. Findings revealed that 24% of the HCWs had CMDs symptoms, Age was statistically significantly associated with symptoms of CMDs, with HCWs aged between 30-39 years being 3.6% less likely to have CMDs compared to those aged between 18 - 29 years (aOR=0.664, 95% CI: 0.214-2.056, p<0.001). Participants who were medical practitioners were 52.3% more likely to have CMDs compared to nurse practitioners (aOR=1.523, 95% CI:1.075-3.08). In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that there is an alarming need for intervention through psycho-support to HCWs during pandemics. This is due to the psychological impact that has been seen among HCWs during COVID-19 pandemic.