65% of Kenyan journalists report depressive symptoms
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Eye Radio
Illustrative image · Oluwapamilerinayo Ajala · Pexels · Licence PexelsA survey of 120 journalists in Kenya finds that 65% have moderate to severe depressive symptoms, including 25% with severe symptoms. The report, presented in Nairobi by the Kenya Union of Journalists and the Media Council of Kenya, says the questionnaire screens for symptoms without providing a clinical diagnosis, according to Khusoko.
In Kenya, 65% of journalists surveyed have moderate to severe depressive symptoms, according to a survey of 120 media professionals. The findings are contained in a report presented in Nairobi on Friday by the Kenya Union of Journalists and the Media Council of Kenya, reports Kenyan media outlet Khusoko.
The report says that 25% of respondents fall into the severe symptoms category and that 83% have symptoms to some degree. The assessment uses the PHQ-9 questionnaire, a screening tool that measures symptoms without establishing a clinical diagnosis.
The survey also identifies employment and workload difficulties: 55% of respondents do not have permanent contracts, and more than half earn less than 50,000 Kenyan shillings per month, for an average monthly salary of 63,000 shillings. About 53% work in understaffed newsrooms and nearly two-thirds say their workload has increased over five years.
Moderate to severe symptoms are reported by 71.4% of journalists working more than 10 hours a day, compared with 25% of those working six to eight hours. The report also notes differences according to employment status: the proportion reaches 72% among freelancers and 55.6% among correspondents, compared with 33.4% among permanent employees. Four in 10 respondents say their employer does not provide mental health support, and a quarter say they consulted a professional in the previous two years.
