Anxiety and depression screening reveals the importance of advancing mental health support for Haitian healthcare providers.

Abstract

Despite the recent momentum of mental health advocacy and resource allocation in several nations worldwide, the same progress is yet to be experienced in Haiti and other countries in the global south. In addition to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that continues to pre-dispose the people of Haiti to a variety of health conditions and mental illnesses, Haitian healthcare providers face further vulnerability to mental illness due to the high-stress nature of their work in a resource-limited environment. This study was conducted using a self-report questionnaire containing the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 screening tools, distributed to Haitian healthcare providers nationwide. The results revealed that 84% of the 106 participants experienced mild to severe symptoms of depression, while 69% reported mild to severe symptoms of anxiety. This study also found that social determinants, including community violence, economic and social instability, and poverty, are among the most detrimental contributing factors to the mental health of Haitian healthcare providers. Despite the acute need for support, 76% of participants also reported having either no awareness or no access to mental health support. These findings serve as an urgent call for action to improve access to mental health resources for Haitian healthcare providers.