Socio-economic factors contributing to depression among healthcare workers at Sanyati Baptist mission hospitals
- Author
- Chikanara, Scenara
- Title
- Socio-economic factors contributing to depression among healthcare workers at Sanyati Baptist mission hospitals
- Abstract
- Depression among healthcare workers poses a significant challenge, particularly in resource-constrained settings such as Sanyati Baptist Mission Hospitals in Zimbabwe. This study examines the socioeconomic factors contributing to depression among healthcare workers at Sanyati Baptist Mission hospitals. Data was collected through structured questionnaires and key informant interviews with healthcare workers. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were analysed using IBM SPSS to identify common socioeconomic stressors associated with depressive symptoms. The findings indicate a notable prevalence of depression among healthcare workers at Sanyati Baptist Mission Hospital, largely attributed to inadequate remuneration, higher living costs and high workloads, loss of loved ones, divorce and lack of social support systems. Financial strain was the dominant factor contributing to depression, with low wages and economic instability exacerbating stress and a hopelessness feeling. Unavailability of mental health resources and counselling services further deepened the risk of depression, as did increased workloads. The study also highlighted lack of awareness and societal stigma as major factors in underreporting of depression cases and the need for urgent targeted interventions including improved compensation, enhanced access to mental health support and the establishment of robust employee assistance programmes. The study conclude that comprehensive policy and institutional reforms are necessary to support mental health of healthcare workers to significantly reduce the risk of depression. In addition, addressing the socio-economic determinants is important to mitigate depression, improve the healthcare workers well-being and ensure the delivery of quality patient care in rural Zimbabwean hospitals.
- Date
- June 2025
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- Depression
- Healthcare workers
- Supervisor
- Mrs. L. Mabhungu
- Item sets
- Department of Environmental Science
