TITLE:
Mental Health Symptoms among Healthcare Workers in Bamako, Mali, One Year after the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study
AUTHORS:
Fatou Diawara, Fadjiné Soumaïla Diarra, Bourama Sangaré, Ibrahim Barry, Souleymane Coulibaly, Ibrahim Terera, Mamadou Berthé, Mamadou Fadiala Sissoko, Abdoulaye Schoud Dabo, Sirantou Tata Déna, Akory Ag Iknane
KEYWORDS:
COVID-19, Mental Health Symptoms, Healthcare Workers, Mali
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Epidemiology,
Vol.16 No.4,
November
5,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major source of psychological distress, particularly among healthcare workers exposed to the pressures of patient care, the infection risk, and uncertainty. Early studies in Mali reported high levels of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress. This study aimed to describe the mental health symptoms among healthcare workers in Bamako approximately one year after the start of the pandemic and to examine characteristics associated with a positive screening result. Methodology: We conducted a cross-sectional study among healthcare workers in public and private facilities in Bamako from March to April 2021, using multistage random sampling. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire administered via KoboToolbox. Four standardized instruments were used: GAD-7, PHQ-9, K6, and IES-R. The primary outcome was a positive screening result on at least one of the four instruments. Analyses were descriptive and bivariate, using Pearson’s χ2 or Fisher’s exact test, where appropriate, and crude odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. Results: Of the 300 targeted healthcare workers, 266 participated. Positive screening results were 4.5% for anxiety, 4.5% for depressive symptoms, 2.3% for psychological distress, and 7.1% for post-traumatic stress symptoms. In total, 26 participants (9.8%; 95% CI: 6.8 - 13.9) screened positive. The proportions were higher among women (12.9%; OR = 1.88; 95% CI: 0.83 - 4.26), participants reporting a personal COVID-19 infection (12.3%; OR = 2.26; 95% CI: 0.88 - 5.84) or that of a colleague (13.3%; OR = 2.20; 95% CI: 0.94 - 5.12). It was also higher in district hospitals (15.2%), though no overall significant association was found. All associations were crude and unadjusted. Conclusion: Nearly one in ten healthcare workers had a positive mental health screening result. Post-traumatic stress symptoms were the most frequently detected. These results support maintaining mental health surveillance, psychosocial support, and referral services for healthcare workers during and after health emergencies.