Associated Factors of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depressive Disorder Symptoms among Healthcare Workers in the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health System
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70619/vol6iss6pp1-11-895Keywords:
Post-traumatic stress disorder; depression; healthcare workers; associated factors; logistic regression; Cameroon; sub-Saharan AfricaAbstract
Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) in conflict-affected, low-resource settings face elevated occupational exposure to trauma, yet the factors that drive post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms in this population remain poorly characterised in Cameroon. This study determined the associated factors of PTSD and depressive disorder symptoms among HCWs in the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health System (CBHS).
Methods: A cross-sectional analytic survey was conducted among 300 HCWs at Mbingo Baptist Hospital (MBH) and Nkwen Baptist Hospital (NBH), drawn from an initial pool of 350 staff members approached (response rate: 85.7%), using purposive and quota sampling, stratified by professional cadre. PTSD and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), alongside a socio-demographic and occupational questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression identified factors associated with the presence of each disorder, reported as adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results: The prevalence of PTSD was 52.7% and of depression was 57.7%. Cumulative trauma exposure was the strongest predictor of both PTSD (OR = 2.65, 95% CI 1.90–3.50, p < .001) and depression (OR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.75–3.05, p < .001). Nurses and midwives carried significantly higher odds of PTSD (OR = 2.25) and depression (OR = 2.05) than allied health staff. Perceived leadership support was protective against PTSD (OR = 0.48) and depression (OR = 0.52), as was each additional year of professional experience (OR = 0.85 and 0.90, respectively). Female gender independently predicted depression (OR = 1.70, p = .018) but not PTSD (p = .420). Hospital site, marital status, and education level were not significant predictors of either disorder.
Conclusion: Occupational and organisational variables, particularly cumulative trauma exposure, frontline clinical role, and the absence of supportive leadership, are more powerful drivers of psychological morbidity among Cameroonian HCWs than demographic background. Institutional strategies that reduce cumulative trauma exposure, strengthen trauma-informed leadership, and target frontline nursing staff are likely to yield the greatest reduction in PTSD and depression risk.
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