An exploration of female healthcare workers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bindura, Zimbabwe

This study explores the experiences and coping strategies of female frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in resource-constrained settings. Female frontline HCWs face an elevated risk of contracting the COVID-19 infection and infecting their loved ones because when they...

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Main Authors: Christopher Jimu, Roselyn Kanyemba, Kudzayi Savious Tarisayi, Kemist Shumba, Kaymarlin Govender
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2023-12-01
Series:Cogent Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2023.2218725
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author Christopher Jimu
Roselyn Kanyemba
Kudzayi Savious Tarisayi
Kemist Shumba
Kaymarlin Govender
author_facet Christopher Jimu
Roselyn Kanyemba
Kudzayi Savious Tarisayi
Kemist Shumba
Kaymarlin Govender
author_sort Christopher Jimu
collection DOAJ
description This study explores the experiences and coping strategies of female frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in resource-constrained settings. Female frontline HCWs face an elevated risk of contracting the COVID-19 infection and infecting their loved ones because when they return from work. The study adopted a qualitative approach to explore the experiences of female frontline HCWs working in high-volume departments at Bindura provincial hospital in Zimbabwe. Using purposive sampling, 15 participants were recruited. HCWs were asked to share their views and perspectives on COVID-19 and their work environment. The study focused on HCWs’ experiences of stigma and discrimination once infected; access to treatment; understanding of transmission; and life experiences of living with COVID-19. The findings suggest that female HCWs working in high-volume departments experience a higher risk of exposure to infection, barriers to assessing personal protective equipment (PPE) and stigma, which impact their mental health. However, despite the complex interrelated challenges female frontline HCWs face in Zimbabwe, there are limited interventions to ameliorate this burden, a knowledge gap this research aims to illuminate.
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spelling doaj-art-976bdd06b7fc4befa61e6ef9f07da5b82025-08-20T02:10:09ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Social Sciences2331-18862023-12-019110.1080/23311886.2023.2218725An exploration of female healthcare workers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bindura, ZimbabweChristopher Jimu0Roselyn Kanyemba1Kudzayi Savious Tarisayi2Kemist Shumba3Kaymarlin Govender4Discipline of Psychology, School of Applied Social Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaHealth Economics and HIV and AIDS Research Division, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaDepartment of Curriculum Studies, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South AfricaDiscipline of Health Promotion, School of Applied Human Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaHealth Economics and HIV and AIDS Research Division, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaThis study explores the experiences and coping strategies of female frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in resource-constrained settings. Female frontline HCWs face an elevated risk of contracting the COVID-19 infection and infecting their loved ones because when they return from work. The study adopted a qualitative approach to explore the experiences of female frontline HCWs working in high-volume departments at Bindura provincial hospital in Zimbabwe. Using purposive sampling, 15 participants were recruited. HCWs were asked to share their views and perspectives on COVID-19 and their work environment. The study focused on HCWs’ experiences of stigma and discrimination once infected; access to treatment; understanding of transmission; and life experiences of living with COVID-19. The findings suggest that female HCWs working in high-volume departments experience a higher risk of exposure to infection, barriers to assessing personal protective equipment (PPE) and stigma, which impact their mental health. However, despite the complex interrelated challenges female frontline HCWs face in Zimbabwe, there are limited interventions to ameliorate this burden, a knowledge gap this research aims to illuminate.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2023.2218725Female frontline healthcare workers (HCWs)COVID-19genderZimbabwe
spellingShingle Christopher Jimu
Roselyn Kanyemba
Kudzayi Savious Tarisayi
Kemist Shumba
Kaymarlin Govender
An exploration of female healthcare workers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bindura, Zimbabwe
Cogent Social Sciences
Female frontline healthcare workers (HCWs)
COVID-19
gender
Zimbabwe
title An exploration of female healthcare workers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bindura, Zimbabwe
title_full An exploration of female healthcare workers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bindura, Zimbabwe
title_fullStr An exploration of female healthcare workers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bindura, Zimbabwe
title_full_unstemmed An exploration of female healthcare workers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bindura, Zimbabwe
title_short An exploration of female healthcare workers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bindura, Zimbabwe
title_sort exploration of female healthcare workers experiences during the covid 19 pandemic in bindura zimbabwe
topic Female frontline healthcare workers (HCWs)
COVID-19
gender
Zimbabwe
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2023.2218725
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