Psychological distress related to COVID-19 among mental health care professionals in full-time private practice in South Africa

Abstract

Research indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching repercussions in South Africa, mirroring trends in other countries by affecting health care systems, economies, and overall quality of life, while also profoundly impacting the work and well-being of mental health care professionals. In this context, this study aimed to investigate the psychological distress (K10 > 16) associated with occupational stress among mental health care professionals in private practice during the first wave of COVID-19. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 284 mental health care practitioners recruited through Medical Pages (Medpages) database and email outreach. Participants completed a SurveyMonkey questionnaire that gathered demographic information, details on occupational COVID-19-related stress, and levels of psychological distress. Univariate and bivariate analyses were employed to describe sample characteristics, assess the prevalence of occupational COVID-19 stress and psychological distress, and explore their association. The majority of participants were male (80%), with a mean age of 49 years. The findings revealed moderate prevalence rates of occupational COVID-19 stress at 66% and psychological distress at 64%. In addition, a moderate positive correlation was found between occupational COVID-19 stress and psychological distress ( r = .46; p < .001). These findings suggest the need for continued psychosocial support and self-care by mental health care professionals beyond COVID-19 pandemic.