Agyapong Belinda, Chishimba Charles, Wei Yifeng, da Luz Dias Raquel, Eboreime Ejemai, Msidi Eleanor, Abidi Syed Sibte Raza, Mutaka-Loongo Maryn, Mwansa James, Orji Rita, Zulu John Mathias, Agyapong Vincent Israel Opoku
Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Lusaka Apex Medical University, Lusaka, Zambia.
JMIR Res Protoc. 2023 Mar 6;12:e44370. doi: 10.2196/44370.
Primary, basic, secondary, and high school teachers are constantly faced with increased work stressors that can result in psychological health challenges such as burnout, anxiety, and depression, and in some cases, physical health problems. It is presently unknown what the mental health literacy levels are or the prevalence and correlates of psychological issues among teachers in Zambia. It is also unknown if an email mental messaging program (Wellness4Teachers) would effectively reduce burnout and associated psychological problems and improve mental health literacy among teachers.
The primary objectives of this study are to determine if daily supportive email messages plus weekly mental health literacy information delivered via email can help improve mental health literacy and reduce the prevalence of moderate to high stress symptoms, burnout, moderate to high anxiety symptoms, moderate to high depression symptoms, and low resilience among school teachers in Zambia. The secondary objectives of this study are to evaluate the baseline prevalence and correlates of moderate to high stress, burnout, moderate to high anxiety, moderate to high depression, and low resilience among school teachers in Zambia.
This is a quantitative longitudinal and cross-sessional study. Data will be collected at the baseline (the onset of the program), 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months (the program midpoint), and 12 months (the end point) using web-based surveys. Individual teachers will subscribe by accepting an invitation to do so from the Lusaka Apex Medical University organizational account on the ResilienceNHope web-based application. Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 25 with descriptive and inferential statistics. Outcome measures will be evaluated using standardized rating scales.
The Wellness4Teachers email program is expected to improve the participating teachers' mental health literacy and well-being. It is anticipated that the prevalence of stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, and low resilience among teachers in Zambia will be similar to those reported in other jurisdictions. In addition, it is expected that demographic, socioeconomic, and organizational factors, class size, and grade teaching will be associated with burnout and other psychological disorders among teachers, as indicated in the literature. Results are expected 2 years after the program's launch.
The Wellness4Teachers email program will provide essential insight into the prevalence and correlates of psychological problems among teachers in Zambia and the program's impact on subscribers' mental health literacy and well-being. The outcome of this study will help inform policy and decision-making regarding psychological interventions for teachers in Zambia.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/44370.
小学、初中、高中教师不断面临着日益增加的工作压力源，这些压力源可能导致心理健康挑战，如职业倦怠、焦虑和抑郁，在某些情况下还会引发身体健康问题。目前尚不清楚赞比亚教师的心理健康素养水平如何，也不清楚心理问题的患病率及其相关因素。同样未知的是，一个电子邮件心理信息项目（教师健康计划）是否能有效减轻职业倦怠及相关心理问题，并提高教师的心理健康素养。
本研究的主要目的是确定通过电子邮件每日发送支持性信息以及每周发送心理健康素养信息是否有助于提高赞比亚学校教师的心理健康素养，并降低中度至高度压力症状、职业倦怠、中度至高度焦虑症状、中度至高度抑郁症状以及低心理韧性的患病率。本研究的次要目的是评估赞比亚学校教师中中度至高度压力、职业倦怠、中度至高度焦虑、中度至高度抑郁和低心理韧性的基线患病率及其相关因素。
这是一项定量纵向和跨阶段研究。将在基线（项目启动时）、6周、3个月、6个月（项目中点）和12个月（终点）使用基于网络的调查收集数据。教师个人将通过接受卢萨卡顶点医科大学在ResilienceNHope基于网络的应用程序上的组织账户发出的邀请来订阅。将使用SPSS 25版进行数据分析，包括描述性统计和推断性统计。结果测量将使用标准化评分量表进行评估。
教师健康计划电子邮件项目预计将提高参与教师的心理健康素养和幸福感。预计赞比亚教师中压力、职业倦怠、焦虑、抑郁和低心理韧性的患病率将与其他地区报告的患病率相似。此外，如文献所示，预计人口统计学、社会经济和组织因素、班级规模和所教年级将与教师的职业倦怠和其他心理障碍相关。预计在项目启动2年后得出结果。
教师健康计划电子邮件项目将为赞比亚教师心理问题的患病率及其相关因素以及该项目对订阅者心理健康素养和幸福感的影响提供重要见解。本研究结果将有助于为赞比亚教师心理干预的政策和决策提供信息。
国际注册报告标识符（IRRID）：PRR1-10.2196/44370
