Competence Needs Satisfaction and Vulnerability to Depression among Healthcare Workers in Kiambu Level 5 Hospital, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/ijhss.3319Keywords:
Healthcare, Depression, Competence, Self-DeterminationAbstract
Purpose: Regular pressures and inevitable exposure to traumatic events have adversely contributed to psychological dysfunction leading to employee depression; with health care workers being particularly at risk. When doing their regular tasks, healthcare workers are subject to a variety of dangers. This is so that they can manage patients with a variety of health issues, including those brought on by trauma, accidents etc.
Methodology: This study adopted a convergent parallel mixed methods design, which enabled the researcher to collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously, and then merge the results to provide a comprehensive understanding of the research problem. Kiambu Level 5 Hospital previously known as Kiambu District Hospital was targeted. The study's target population comprised 231 healthcare workers employed at Kiambu Level 5 Hospital in Kiambu County, Kenya.
Findings: Results show that among participants who had concerns on their professional and career issues, none experienced normal ups and downs, 5 (21.7%) were diagnozed with mild mood disturbance, 5 (21.7%) had borderline clinical depression symptoms, 12 (52.2%) had moderate depression symptoms and 1 (4.3%) had severe depression symptoms. The study revealed that healthcare workers who reported lower competence needs satisfaction experienced higher levels of depression. Specifically, 52.2% of participants facing competence-related anxieties showed moderate depression, emphasizing the mental health challenge stemming from feelings of inadequacy in their roles. While there was a weak positive correlation (r = 0.127) observed between indicators of competence needs satisfaction and levels of depression, the significance level (p = 0.130) exceeded the conventional significance level of 0.05, indicating no statistically significant correlation.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The research emphasizes the importance of fulfilling psychological needs the sense of competence being crucial for motivation, engagement, and mental wellness. The study aligns with Self-Determination Theory, suggesting that fostering an environment where healthcare workers feel skilled, effective, and recognized may mitigate the risk of depression and improve overall job satisfaction.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Joseph Mullingah Maingi, Dr. Mokua Gilbert Maroko, Dr. Jane Gathoni Nyutu
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