Covid-19 and the Psychological Wellbeing of Police Officers and Health Workers in Ghana

Photo: Ghana Police Service

Dr Justice Tankebe, University of Cambridge & Dr Samuel Adjorlolo, University of Ghana

The Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund Covid-19 Emergency Awards awarded funds in spring 2020 for the new research project: ‘Covid-19 and the Psychological Wellbeing of Frontline Workers in Ghana’. This research project is co-led by Dr Justice Tankebe, VRC and Dr Samuel Adjorlolo, Department of Mental Health, University of Ghana. 

Since its outbreak in Wuhan (China) in December 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global pandemic. Throughout this time, governments have continued to take various measures to control the spread of the virus. These measures include physical distancing and lockdown - both aimed at limiting contacts with potential carriers of the virus. For health workers and police officers, being in daily contacts with patients and the public means potentially heightened anxiety.

This research project aims to explore the psychological wellbeing of these frontline professionals in Ghana. It will involve repeated surveys and in-depth interviews over 12 months to track changes in wellbeing and coping strategies during these difficult times. The study promises crucial data on the effects of responding to Covid-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, on response groups, providing evidence for early interventions to improve the wellbeing of these individuals.