ASSESSMENT OF JOB-RELATED PSYCHOSOCIAL CHALLENGES OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AND THEIR COPING MECHANISM: IN THE CASE OF ZEWDITU MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

Abstract

Background: Health care professionals who work in health care facilities face a variety of psychosocial challenges. The psychosocial challenge can have a significant impact on the personal, family, and professional lives of health professionals. Objective: This study explores the psychosocial challenges faced by health care professionals at Zewditu Memorial Hospital. Methods: The study used a qualitative method approach and exploratory case study design. A purposive sampling method was used to select fifteen health care professionals working in Zewditu memorial hospital. The study used in-depth interview, one FGD, interview three key informant to examine psychosocial challenges and coping mechanism of the health care professionals. This study was employed thematic qualitative method of data analysis. Results: The findings of this study revealed that the psychological challenges reported by the study participants were stress, emotional exhaustion, and moral distress, and depression, post traumatic symptoms such as depression, anxiety and insomnia. The major social challenges indicated by study participants were work life imbalance, interpersonal conflict, low salary, political instability, lack of social support. The coping mechanism used by the professional were emotional oriented, task oriented and avoidance oriented coping mechanisms. Conclusions: This study was concluded that the psychosocial challenges of health professionals need a scientific strategies and support systems in order to solve the challenges of health professionals successfully.