Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among Healthcare Professionals in Selected Intensive Care Units, Bui Division, Cameroon

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent occupational hazard among healthcare professionals working in intensive care units (ICUs), where frequent exposure to trauma, critical illness, and death contributes to significant psychological distress. Despite the global recognition of PTSD among frontline workers, limited evidence exists from fragile health systems in sub-Saharan Africa, and no prior studies have evaluated the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in this context. Guided by the Adaptive Information Processing model, Vicarious Trauma Theory, and the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, this study assessed the prevalence of PTSD, examined socio-demographic influences, established comorbidities, and evaluated the efficacy of EMDR therapy among ICU healthcare professionals in selected general hospitals in Kumbo, Bui Division, Cameroon. A quasi-experimental pre-/post-test control-group design was applied. At baseline, a census of ICU staff (N = 134) was conducted, with 67 participants allocated to the treatment group and 67 to the control group. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), while depression and anxiety were measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and burnout with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Attrition across study phases was systematically recorded, with retention at endline being 76.1%. Findings revealed an exceptionally high prevalence of probable PTSD, with 94.8% of participants meeting the clinical threshold at baseline. PTSD symptom severity did not significantly differ by socio-demographic characteristics such as age, gender, marital status, ICU experience, role, or working hours, indicating the pervasive nature of PTSD risk across subgroups. Comorbidities were widespread, with depression present in 82.8%, anxiety in 85.1%, and burnout risk in 80.6% of participants, underscoring the clustering of adverse mental health outcomes. Evaluation of EMDR therapy demonstrated marked effectiveness. In the treatment group, mean PCL-5 scores dropped from 40.92 at baseline to 19.33 at midline and 8.80 at endline, while scores in the control group remained stable (44.20, 43.06, and 43.24, respectively). Repeated measures ANOVA confirmed significant main effects of time (η²p = .903), group (η²p = .862), and group × time interaction (η²p = .891), all p < .001. ANCOVA analyses further showed that EMDR effects remained significant at both midline and endline after adjusting for baseline PTSD. By endline, 100% of treatment participants achieved remission compared to only 5.9% of controls, χ²(1, N = 102) = 90.67, p < .001. This study provides robust evidence that ICU healthcare professionals in Cameroon face an alarming burden of PTSD and related comorbidities, highlighting an urgent need for systemic mental health support in fragile health systems. EMDR therapy was shown to be highly effective, producing rapid and sustained reductions in PTSD symptoms and achieving complete remission in the treatment group. These findings establish EMDR as a promising, culturally adaptable intervention with the potential to transform trauma care for healthcare professionals in similar low-resource contexts. Integrating EMDR therapy, enhancing systemic and workplace supports, and conducting localized research to mitigate PTSD among ICU professionals, particularly in resource-constrained and high-conflict healthcare settings, is recommended.