Abstract:
Background: The on-going COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a major negative impact on public mental
health particularly among health care workers. Alcohol use is a common maladaptive response to stress
that is associated with adverse health consequences and that could impair productivity in the workplace
for the health workforce. The aim of this study is to document the burden and factors associated with
harmful alcohol use among health care workers at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya.
Methods: This study was a cross-sectional analysis of data obtained from a parent online survey that
investigated the prevalence and factors associated with mental disorders among healthcare workers
during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya. Analyses for this study were conducted to examine the burden
and factors associated with harmful alcohol use among a sub-group of 887 participants who completed
the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) questionnaire.
Results: Three hundred and eighty nine (43.9%) participants reported harmful alcohol use. The factors
significantly associated with increased odds of endorsing harmful alcohol use were: being male (AOR=
1.56; 95% CI=1.14, 2.14; p=0.006), being not married (AOR= 2.06; 95% CI=1.48, 2.89; p<0.001), having 11-
20 years of experience as compared to having 20+ years of experience (AOR= 1.91; 95% CI=1.18, 3.12;
p=0.009), and being a specialist (AOR=2.78; CI=1.64, 4.78; P=<0.001) or doctor (AOR= 2.82; 95% CI=1.74,
4.63; p<0.001) as compared to being a nurse.
Conclusions: A high proportion of health care workers reported harmful alcohol use at the beginning of
the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya. Males, the unmarried, those with 11-20 years of experience in the
health field, doctors and specialists were more likely to report harmful alcohol use. These findings
highlight the need to institute interventions for harmful alcohol use targeting these groups of health care
workers in Kenya during the COVID-19 pandemic