Predictors of COVID-19 pandemic-associated mental health outcomes of slaughterhouse managers in selected states of Nigeria, 2020

Abstract

Introduction: the COVID-19 pandemic is a global public health and economic crisis, with major outbreaks occurring amongst meat workers globally. The multiple tasks of ensuring safe operations, adherence to COVID-19 non-pharmacological preventive measures and safeguarding the health of the workers are attendant challenges faced by slaughterhouse managers amidst the pandemic. Yet, little or no attention is paid to COVID-19 pandemic related mental health outcome of these managers in developing countries, especially Nigeria. Methods: a cross sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 91 slaughterhouse managers from four of the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria to determine the predictors of COVID-19 pandemic-associated mental health outcome. Data were collected using a validated semi-structured questionnaire which measured COVID-19 related mental health outcome, as well as the explanatory variables including the kind of manager (veterinarian/government worker, butcher), COVID-19 sensitization since the start of pandemic (yes, no), and rate of animal processing since pandemic started (unchanged/increased, reduced). The data were analysed by binary logistic regression using STATA version 14.2. Results: only 13.2% of the respondents had good mental health outcome, 67.0% were on borderline, while 19.8% were poor. More than one-third (34.1%) of the respondents reported a feeling of anxiety that COVID-19 would reduce patronage for their services. Again, 31.9% were always worried about the overall financial demands of COVID-19 mitigation measures and 37.4% were concerned that the slaughterhouse facility lacked requisite infrastructure for risk reduction against COVID-19. Being slaughterhouse managers belonging to the butchers´ association (aOR = 3.03, 95%CI = 0.87-10.59), not having prior COVID-19 sensitization (aOR = 2.27, 95%CI = 0.14-1.39) and feeling that the pandemic had reduced rate of animal processing (2.23, 95%CI = 0.44-11.32) were associated with higher odds of developing poor COVID-19 pandemic related mental health outcome. Conclusion: a high prevalence of poor mental health outcome among the slaughterhouse managers with certain important gaps identified as possible COVID-19 related issues contributing to their mental health distress is reported. Interventional efforts in the slaughterhouses to reduce job-related mental health stressors and consequently improve the health of this workforce are advocated.