The Psychosocial Well-being of Nurses and Psychologists in Africa: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare systems in Africa have prioritised healthcare recipients, and little emphasis has been placed on the well-being of healthcare professionals, as reflected in the limited available literature on the scope of healthcare professionals' well-being. The present study examines studies conducted in African countries, with a focus on the psychosocial well-being of nurses and psychologists. To answer the research question: What is the psychosocial well-being of nurses and psychologists in the African context? The study contributes to improving working environments within healthcare settings, enhancing pandemic readiness, and enhancing the overall quality of life of healthcare workers in African nations. Methods: A scoping review has been conducted using the frameworks established by Arksey and O'Malley (2005) and Levac et al. (2010). A comprehensive literature search has been conducted, covering publications from 2014 to 2024, across the following databases: PubMed, EBSCOhost, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, institutional repositories, and other grey literature sources, as well as a hand search of the reference lists of included studies. Studies included were assessed for eligibility by two independent reviewers. Findings: Fifteen studies are included in this review. Most research on nurses' well-being originates in South Africa, with limited representation from other African countries. There is a notably high psychosocial toll among nurses in healthcare settings with expressions of burnout, severe depressive symptoms, PTSD, anxiety and other stress-related disorders coupled with compassion fatigue. Conclusion: There is an absence of an effective, unified intervention programme(s) to promote nurses’ psychosocial well-being. Irregularities and disparities are highlighted within the organisational structure of most healthcare settings in Africa. There is an urgent need among stakeholders to implement intervention strategies among healthcare workers to support their psychological health and social needs.