{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T01:00:52Z","timestamp":1760144452332,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,23]],"date-time":"2024-04-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1713830400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Behavioral Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: In 2020, healthcare providers were expected to provide care to individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), putting them at risk of acquiring COVID-19. The possibility of acquiring poorly understood infectious diseases while providing care may have an impact on the mental health of providers. We conducted a study to explore the effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of healthcare providers. Methods: Between April and August 2021, we conducted in-depth interviews with 60 healthcare providers in the infectious disease unit (IDU) and other units of the hospital (non-IDU). The healthcare providers completed an online self-administered survey form with demographic data (age, sex, average income, and known contact with a COVID-19 patient). We used semi-structured interview guides to understand the healthcare providers\u2019 lived experiences of stress, anxiety, depression, and their associated factors. We transcribed the interviews verbatim and coded and analyzed the transcripts to derive thematic concepts related to mental health experiences. Results: The healthcare providers had a median age of 37 years [IQR 20.0\u201358.0], and 56.7% were female, 30.0% nurses, 18.3% medical doctors, and 11.7% laboratory technologists. The healthcare providers reported increased stress during the pandemic, attributed to the high demand for patient care, changes in social life, and fear of COVID-19 infection. They also reported experiences of anxiety and depression as a result of limited knowledge at the beginning of the pandemic and the perception that \u201cCOVID-19 resulted in death\u201d. Testing positive for COVID-19, high exposure to COVID-19 risks, and the death of patients and colleagues reportedly affected the healthcare providers\u2019 mental health. Additionally, the healthcare providers reported mental health support through debriefing meetings, peer-to-peer support, and psychological counseling, with privacy and confidentiality concerns. Conclusions: Healthcare providers faced mental health issues such as stress and anxiety while taking care of COVID-19 patients. An effective mental health response requires institutional practices that address context-specific challenges such as privacy and confidentiality.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/bs14050351","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,23]],"date-time":"2024-04-23T08:08:27Z","timestamp":1713859707000},"page":"351","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Providers\u2019 Mental Health: Experiences at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Vallery","family":"Ogello","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Partners in Health Research and Development, Centre for Clinical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi 19865-00202, Kenya"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nicholas","family":"Thuo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Partners in Health Research and Development, Centre for Clinical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi 19865-00202, Kenya"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Phelix","family":"Okello","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Partners in Health Research and Development, Centre for Clinical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi 19865-00202, Kenya"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Njeri","family":"Wairimu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Partners in Health Research and Development, Centre for Clinical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi 19865-00202, Kenya"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Paul","family":"Mwangi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Partners in Health Research and Development, Centre for Clinical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi 19865-00202, Kenya"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gakuo","family":"Maina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Partners in Health Research and Development, Centre for Clinical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi 19865-00202, Kenya"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Harrison","family":"Mwenda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi 20723-00202, Kenya"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Paul","family":"Mutua","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi 20723-00202, Kenya"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"John","family":"Kinuthia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi 20723-00202, Kenya"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Linnet","family":"Ongeri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi 54840-00200, Kenya"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nelly","family":"Mugo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi 54840-00200, Kenya"},{"name":"Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kenneth","family":"Ngure","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA"},{"name":"School of Public Health, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi 62000-00200, Kenya"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"World Health Organisation (2023, July 20). 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