ArticlePloS one2018
Factors associated with common mental health problems of humanitarian workers in South Sudan.
Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Complementing humanitarian staff care with arts-based initiatives? Viewpoints from in-house mental health professionals.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Empowering Ukrainian healthcare and humanitarian aid workers: cocreating a peer support staff wellbeing curriculum.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Contextualising person-centred mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services: A qualitative study of the preferences and experiences of displaced Syrians in Northwest Syria and Türkiye.Global mental health (Cambridge, England) · 2025Article
- Public discourse narratives: from 'Secret Aid Worker' discontent to shifting power in humanitarian systems.Disasters · 2025Article
- Spiritual and Emotional Care Among Clergy as First Responder-Victims in Puerto Rico: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study.Journal of religion and health · 2024Article
- Racial discrimination within United Nations offices in Geneva: Results from an online survey.PloS one · 2024Article
- Testing the effectiveness and acceptability of online supportive supervision for mental health practitioners in humanitarian settings: a study protocol for the caring for carers project.BMC psychiatry · 2023Article
- Psychosocial model of burnout among humanitarian aid workers in Bangladesh: role of workplace stressors and emotion coping.Conflict and health · 2023Article
- The multilevel correlates, contributions, and consequences of leader humility in humanitarian aid work.Frontiers in psychology · 2023Article
- Burdening and Protective Organisational Factors among International Volunteers in Greek Refugee Camps-A Qualitative Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Identifying best practice for the supervision of mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian emergencies: a Delphi study.International journal of mental health systems · 2022Article
- Identifying Predictors of University Students' Wellbeing during the COVID-19 Pandemic-A Data-Driven Approach.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Cortisol awakening response over the course of humanitarian aid deployment: a prospective cohort study.European journal of psychotraumatology · 2020Article
- DANGER! Crisis Health Workers at Risk.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
- Professional and Volunteer Refugee Aid Workers-Depressive Symptoms and Their Predictors, Experienced Traumatic Events, PTSD, Burdens, Engagement Motivators and Support Needs.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2019Article
- Caring for the mental health of humanitarian volunteers in traumatic contexts: the importance of organisational support.European journal of psychotraumatology · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe latest data on major attacks against civilian aid operations have identified South Sudan as the most dangerous country for aid workers globally. Exposure to other traumatic events and chronic stress is also common in this population. No research exists on the mental health of humanitarian workers in South Sudan.
objectivesThis study examined symptom burden and predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, hazardous alcohol consumption, and burnout among humanitarian workers in South Sudan.
methodWe conducted a cross-sectional online survey with humanitarian workers (national and international staff, consultants, United Nations volunteers). We applied validated measures useful for this setting. We applied Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression to fit models with high prediction accuracy for each outcome and used ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to obtain final coefficients and perform inference.
resultsA total of 277 humanitarian workers employed by 45 organizations completed the survey (a response rate in the order of 10%). We estimated prevalence of PTSD (24%), depression (39%), anxiety disorder (38%), hazardous alcohol consumption in men (35%) and women (36%), and the burnout components emotional exhaustion (24%) and depersonalization (19%). Chronic stress exposure was positively associated with PTSD (p < .001), depression (p < .001), anxiety (p < .001), emotional exhaustion (p < .01), and depersonalization (p < .001). We found no significant association between emotion focused and problem focused coping and mental health outcomes. Associations between dysfunctional coping and depression (p < .001) and anxiety (p < .01) were positive. Higher levels of spirituality were associated with lower risk of hazardous alcohol consumption (p < .001). Contrary to expectations, working directly with humanitarian aid beneficiaries was significantly associated with lower risk for emotional exhaustion (p < .01).
conclusionOur results suggest that humanitarian workers in South Sudan experience substantial levels of mental ill-health. This study points to the need for staff support strategies that effectively mitigate humanitarian workers' chronic stress exposure. The dynamics between coping and mental health among humanitarian workers require further study.
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