Effect of Teachers’ Welfare on Job Effectiveness among Secondary Schools in Mbarara City, Uganda

This study sought to establish the effect of teachers’ welfare on teachers’ job effectiveness among the secondary schools in Mbarara City in Uganda using a descriptive cross sectional survey design.  The study was conducted in Mbarara City which had 25 secondary schools. The 25 schools had 750 teachers and 25 Head teachers. According to Galvan (2013), a sample of 50% is desirous. Therefore, 50% of 25 schools brought 12 schools which were sampled. The twelve schools had 360 teachers from whom systematic random sampling was used to select 260 teachers. Out of the 260 teachers selected, 256 responded and out of 12 head teachers selected, 10 responded. Furthermore, one Education Office and one City Inspector of schools were included in the sample. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations were used in analyzing the data. The study established a moderate quality of welfare of secondary school teachers in terms of housing, performance allowances, medical care services, school environment, meals, transport allowances, training and development opportunities, classroom environment and government policy on teachers. The level of teachers’ job effectiveness was also perceived to be moderate. Furthermore, the study established a moderate positive relationship between teachers’ welfare and job effectiveness. It is recommended that teachers’ salaries and allowances be regularly provided in time. Meals, housing and other facilities should be given to teachers to encourage them to work hard.&nbsp

Psychological distress among healthcare professionals in Mbarara, following the 2022 Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Uganda: a mixed methods study

Abstract Background The 2022 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak occurred at a time when Uganda was still battling the social and psychological challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic; placing health care professionals (HCPs) at a much higher risk of developing psychological distress. Psychological distress among HCPs can cause decreased workplace productivity and ineffective management of their patients. The current study aimed to investigate and understand psychological distress among HCPS in Mbarara city in Southwestern Uganda following the 2022 EVD outbreak. Method We enrolled 200 HCPs through convenient sampling from one private and one public health facility in Mbarara city in Southwestern Uganda, in a cross-sectional convergent parallel mixed method approach where qualitative and quantitative data were collected concurrently. Quantitative data, utilizing the Kessler Psychological Distress (K10) Scale, provided us with a quantitative measure of the prevalence of psychological distress among HCPs, and were analyzed using STATA version 16. Qualitative data, on the other hand, offered deeper insights into the nature, perceptions, and contextual factors influencing this distress, and were analyzed using emergent theme analysis. Results The prevalence of psychological distress was 59.5% and it was higher among females (63.9%) compared to males (36.1%). HCPs vividly expressed distress and anxiety, with heightened suspicion that every patient might be an EVD carrier, creating a pervasive sense of unsafety in the workplace. However, the outbreak had an educational affect where concerns about the announcement of another EVD outbreak were diverse, with HCPs expressing anxiety, despair, and dissatisfaction with the country’s management of potential outbreaks. Conclusion High levels of psychological distress were experienced by HCPs in Southwestern Uganda as a result of the 2022 EVD pandemic. HCPs express a wide range of feelings, such as dread, anxiety, despair, pessimism, and discontent with the way the outbreaks are handled throughout the nation. We recommend implementation of comprehensive psychosocial support programs tailored to the unique needs of HCPs, including counseling services, stress management workshops, and peer support networks