Prevalence of Probable Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among Intensive Care Unit Healthcare Professionals in Northwest Cameroon: A Cross-Sectional Study

Aim: Robust prevalence data from fragile health systems in sub-Saharan Africa are limited. This study assessed the point prevalence of probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among healthcare professionals working in intensive care units (ICUs) in two general hospitals in Bui Division, Cameroon. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a census-based sample of 134 ICU professionals, including nurses, physicians, and auxiliary staff. Participants completed the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and a cutoff score of ≥33 was used to indicate probable PTSD. Results: The prevalence of probable PTSD among ICU healthcare professionals was 94.8% (95% CI [91.6, 98.0]). The mean PCL-5 symptom severity score was 42.56 (SD = 6.12), indicating severe symptomatology. High prevalence rates were consistently observed across various professional roles. Conclusion: The prevalence of probable PTSD among ICU healthcare professionals in this setting is exceptionally high, revealing a severe and urgent occupational mental health burden within a fragile mental health system. Recommendations: The findings highlight the importance of routine mental health screening for ICU staff. They also emphasize the need for further research to identify contributing factors and inform the development of context-specific psychosocial support programs for frontline healthcare providers in crisis-affected regions.