PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON FRONTLINE HEALTH WORKERS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Infectious disease outbreaks have always been associated with psychological and mental
challenges such as was experienced during the CORONA VIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19)
pandemic. Healthcare workers are often exposed to unique stressors that go beyond typical
occupational hazards, affecting their psychological and mental well-being as well as their
personal relationships. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on the Psychological and Mental health of frontline health workers who attended to
COVID-19 patients in different healthcare facilities where patients were being diagnosed,
referred, and treated during the pandemic in Nigeria. This study utilized standardized and
validated instruments of psychological distress (GHQ-12), General Anxiety Disorders (GAD-7),
and the WHO Well-Being Assessment questionnaire (WHO-5) on 160 healthcare workers in
facilities where COVID-19 patients were being diagnosed, referred, and treated using a
descriptive survey research method. The study participants included healthcare professionals
from different fields who were drawn through a convenience sampling procedure. All
demographic data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency count and percentages,
while the research data were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and independent
sample t-test at a p-value of 0.05.. The results revealed that COVID-19 disease significantly
caused psychological distress, general anxiety disorders, and affected the well-being of frontline
health workers in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study concluded that the mental
health challenges faced by healthcare workers during infectious disease outbreaks such as
COVID-19 pandemic, represent a critical public health concern that requires systematic
attention and evidence-based interventions. It is therefore recommended that comprehensive
support strategies should be organized for frontline healthcare workers to protect their
psychological and mental well-being during health emergencies and outbreaks.