ISSN 0189-1774
 
2026, Vol: 23, Issue: 2
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Original Article
Online Published: 13 Jul 2026
 


Moral Injury, Job Satisfaction, And Psychiatric Morbidity Among Nigerian Doctors In A Tertiary Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Northwest Nigeria

Abdullahi Abdulwahab Yakubu, Summayyah Muhammad Bashar, Audu Ishaq Aveka, Mivanyi Musa Murinyi, Sani Khalid, Bashir Adam Yakasai.

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    • Abstract
    Background: Healthcare professionals globally grapple with profound occupational stressors. In resource-constrained settings like Nigeria, systemic challenges may exacerbate moral injury (the distress from violating one’s moral code) and job dissatisfaction, yet their combined impact on doctors’ mental health remains understudied.
    Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and interrelationship of moral injury, job dissatisfaction, and psychiatric morbidity among doctors in a major Nigerian tertiary hospital.
    Methods: In a cross-sectional design, 200 doctors from Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, were assessed using the Moral Injury Symptom Scale-Healthcare Professionals, the Generic Job Satis faction Scale, and modules of the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (version 7.0) for depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Multistage sampling was employed, and data were analyzed using chi-square tests and logistic regression.
    Results: The prevalence of moral injury was 81.5%, job dissatisfaction 74.0%, and psychiatric morbidity 53.5% (comprising depression 37.0%, generalized anxiety disorder 11.5%, and posttraumatic stress disorder 5.0%). Logistic regression identified moral injury (OR = 4.98, 95% CI: 2.21–11.23), job dissatisfaction (OR = 6.34, 95% CI: 2.88–13.97), junior professional rank (OR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.27–6.61), excessive
    workload (OR = 3.52, 95% CI: 1.64–7.54), and lack of recognition (OR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.21–6.05) as significant independent correlates of psychiatric morbidity.
    Conclusion: Nigerian doctors in this setting exhibit high levels of moral injury, job dissatisfaction, and psychiatric morbidity, which are strongly interrelated. Multifaceted institutional interventions targeting ethical strain, working conditions, and mental health support are critical for workforce preservation and patient care quality.

    Key words: Depression, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Job Satisfaction, Moral Injury, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder


    		 
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    How to Cite this Article
    Pubmed Style

    Yakubu AA, Bashar SM, Aveka AI, Murinyi MM, Khalid S, Yakasai BA. Moral Injury, Job Satisfaction, And Psychiatric Morbidity Among Nigerian Doctors In A Tertiary Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Northwest Nigeria. NJP. 2026; 23(2): 40-47. doi:10.5455/NJP.303919

    Web Style

    Yakubu AA, Bashar SM, Aveka AI, Murinyi MM, Khalid S, Yakasai BA. Moral Injury, Job Satisfaction, And Psychiatric Morbidity Among Nigerian Doctors In A Tertiary Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Northwest Nigeria. https://nigerianjournalofpsychiatry.com/?mno=303919 [Access: July 13, 2026]. doi:10.5455/NJP.303919

    AMA (American Medical Association) Style

    Yakubu AA, Bashar SM, Aveka AI, Murinyi MM, Khalid S, Yakasai BA. Moral Injury, Job Satisfaction, And Psychiatric Morbidity Among Nigerian Doctors In A Tertiary Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Northwest Nigeria. NJP. 2026; 23(2): 40-47. doi:10.5455/NJP.303919


    Vancouver/ICMJE Style

    Yakubu AA, Bashar SM, Aveka AI, Murinyi MM, Khalid S, Yakasai BA. Moral Injury, Job Satisfaction, And Psychiatric Morbidity Among Nigerian Doctors In A Tertiary Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Northwest Nigeria. NJP. (2026), [cited July 13, 2026]; 23(2): 40-47. doi:10.5455/NJP.303919


    Harvard Style

    Yakubu, A. A., Bashar, . S. M., Aveka, . A. I., Murinyi, . M. M., Khalid, . S. & Yakasai, . B. A. (2026) Moral Injury, Job Satisfaction, And Psychiatric Morbidity Among Nigerian Doctors In A Tertiary Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Northwest Nigeria. NJP, 23 (2), 40-47. doi:10.5455/NJP.303919


    Turabian Style

    Yakubu, Abdullahi Abdulwahab, Summayyah Muhammad Bashar, Audu Ishaq Aveka, Mivanyi Musa Murinyi, Sani Khalid, and Bashir Adam Yakasai. 2026. Moral Injury, Job Satisfaction, And Psychiatric Morbidity Among Nigerian Doctors In A Tertiary Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Northwest Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry, 23 (2), 40-47. doi:10.5455/NJP.303919


    Chicago Style

    Yakubu, Abdullahi Abdulwahab, Summayyah Muhammad Bashar, Audu Ishaq Aveka, Mivanyi Musa Murinyi, Sani Khalid, and Bashir Adam Yakasai. "Moral Injury, Job Satisfaction, And Psychiatric Morbidity Among Nigerian Doctors In A Tertiary Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Northwest Nigeria." Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry 23 (2026), 40-47. doi:10.5455/NJP.303919


    MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

    Yakubu, Abdullahi Abdulwahab, Summayyah Muhammad Bashar, Audu Ishaq Aveka, Mivanyi Musa Murinyi, Sani Khalid, and Bashir Adam Yakasai. "Moral Injury, Job Satisfaction, And Psychiatric Morbidity Among Nigerian Doctors In A Tertiary Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Northwest Nigeria." Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry 23.2 (2026), 40-47. Print. doi:10.5455/NJP.303919


    APA (American Psychological Association) Style

    Yakubu, A. A., Bashar, . S. M., Aveka, . A. I., Murinyi, . M. M., Khalid, . S. & Yakasai, . B. A. (2026) Moral Injury, Job Satisfaction, And Psychiatric Morbidity Among Nigerian Doctors In A Tertiary Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Northwest Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry, 23 (2), 40-47. doi:10.5455/NJP.303919


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