Study reveals coping mechanisms utilized by South African healthcare staff in the course of the pandemic

A brand new study by UC Berkeley Anthropology Professor Andrew Wooyoung Kim reveals resilient coping mechanisms utilized by healthcare staff in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in metro Johannesburg, South Africa.

Titled “Coping strategies employed by public psychiatric healthcare staff in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in southern Gauteng, South Africa,” Kim’s paper was published in PLOS ONE in August. It explores the various coping strategies employed by public psychiatric healthcare staff in the course of the pandemic within the metropolitan Johannesburg area.

This research illuminates the adaptability and creativity of people facing unprecedented healthcare challenges. The psychiatric healthcare staff’ ability to innovate within the face of maximum adversity is especially inspiring. Understanding these coping strategies is important for constructing short-term support systems for healthcare staff, providing a roadmap for bolstering psychiatric service delivery while also improving patient outcomes in times of healthcare emergencies.”

Andrew Wooyoung Kim, Anthropology Professor, UC Berkeley

The study identified seven major coping mechanisms and emphasized the success of varied strategies that helped preserve well-being and overcome pandemic-related adversity in metro Johannesburg.