Potential Resilience to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Common Mental Disorders among Lay Health Workers Working on the Friendship Bench Programme in Zimbabwe

Purpose. The Friendship Bench is a successful task-shifting intervention for addressing common mental disorders in Zimbabwe. The intervention takes a cognitive behavioural therapy and problem-solving approach provided by lay health workers (LHWs). The LHWs live in the same environment as their clients and are thus exposed to the same traumas and stressors as are their clients. Little is known about the long-term psychological effects on LHWs involved in this type of work. Methods. A random sample of LHWs (n=182) was assessed using the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5) and the Shona Symptom Questionnaire (SSQ-14), both locally validated. Results. The prevalence of PTSD and CMD was low among all surveyed LHWs. Eleven (6%) and 17 (11%) presented with probable PTSD and CMD, respectively. Conclusion. Despite living and working in the same settings as their clients, the Friendship Bench LHWs show good mental health outcomes.