Table 2 Univariate analysis of factors associated with HRQoL in frontline workers in EAC, 2020 (N = 721)

Gender (n = 721)

0.207

 Male

452

0.88 (0.18)

0.91 (1.0,0.82)

0.81 (0.14)

0.87 (0.87,0.77)

 Female

269

0.85 (0.19)

0.91 (0.99,0.76)

0.79 (0.15)

0.91 (0.99,0.76)

Age (n = 721)

0.01

0.003

 18–34

461

0.88 (0.18)

0.93 (1.0,0.81)

0.81 (0.14)

0.87 (0.94,0.77)

 35–49

237

0.85 (0.19)

0.91 (0.98,0.79)

0.79 (0.15)

0.84 (0.87,0.72)

 ≥ 50

23

0.86 (0.17)

0.88 (0.98,0.70)

0.81 (0.10)

0.87 (0.87,0.69)

Marital status (n = 717)

0.012

 < 0.001

 Unmarried

356

0.88 (0.16)

0.94 (1.0,0.82)

0.82 (0.14)

0.87 (0.94,0.77)

 Married

361

0.86 (0.19)

0.91 (0.99,0.79)

0.79 (0.14)

0.84 (0.87,0.72)

Education level (n = 717)

0.038

0 .854

 Secondary degree or less

60

0.91(0.11)

0.97 (1.0,0.85)

0.80 (0.17)

0.87 (0.95,0.80)

 University degree

657

0.86 (0.19)

0.91 (0.99,0.80)

0.81 (0.14)

0.87 (0.87,0.73)

Residence (n = 711)

0.101

0.002

 Rural

77

0.84 (0.21)

0.88 (1.0,0.79)

0.77 (0.15)

0.80 (0.87,0.70)

 Urban

634

0.87 (0.18)

0.91 (0.99,0.80)

0.81 (0.14)

0.87 (0.87,0.77)

Country of origin (n = 721)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Burundi

595

0.89 (0.15)

0.95 (1.0, 0.85)

0.81 (0.14)

0.87 (0.71,0.15

 Kenya

64

0.70 (0.24)

0.74(0.89, 0.56)

0.73 (0.12)

0.77 (0.63,0.17)

 Rwanda

23

0.86(0.12)

0.87(1.0, 0.78)

0.81(0.13)

0.87(0.45,0.22)

 Somalia

5

0.99 (0.70)

0.99 (0.99, 0.98)

0.68 (0.33)

0.87 (0.77,0.46)

 South Sudan

17

0.77(0.34)

0.84 (0.96, 0.76)

0.76 (0.18)

0.80 (0.84, 0.17)

 Ethiopia

14

0.76 (0.21)

.81 (0.93, 0.67)

0.74 (0.10)

0.77 (0.37,0.10)

 Tanzania

3

0.87 (0.06)

0.83 (0.11,0.001)

0.83 (0.05)

0.87 (0.10,0.00)

Frontline workers (n = 721)

0.56

0.002

 Humanitarian

92

0.86 (0.18)

0.92 (0.99,0.77)

0.81(0.16)

0.87 (0.91,0.77)

 Healthcare worker

629

0.87 (0.18)

0.91 (1.00,0.80)

0.80 (0.14)

0.87 (0.87,0.73)

Type of occupation

0.18

0.08

 Humanitarian

92

0.88 (0.12)

0.91 (0.33,1.00)

0.82 (0.13)

0.87 (0.32,0.95)

 Medical Doctor

255

0.85 (0.19)

0.91 (0.57,1.00)

0.78 (0.14)

0.84 (0.1,0.95)

 Medical Intern

137

0.88 (0.15)

0.95 (0.21,1.00)

0.81 (0.13)

0.87 (0.24,0.95)

 Nurse

172

0.86 (0.21)

0.94 (0.47,1.00)

0.81 (0.15)

0.87 (0.10,0.95)

 Social worker

28

0.86 (0.15)

0.93 (0.44,10.00)

0.79 (0.11)

0.82 (0.58,0.95)

 Laboratory Technician

37

0.88 (0.18)

0.96 (0.18,1.00)

0.80 (0.15)

0.87 (0.41,0.95)

Monthly income (n = 663)

0.01

 < 0.001

 < $100

120

0.90 (0.16)

0.96 (1.00,0.73)

0.85 (0.10)

0.87 (0.94,0.80)

 $100-$4909

340

0.87 (0.16)

0.91 (1.00,0.80)

0.80 (0.14)

0.84 (0.87,0.72)

 ≥ $500

203

0.84 (0.22)

0.90 (1.00,0.74)

0.80 (0.15)

0.86 (0.87,0.77)

Chronic disease (n = 721)

 < 0.001

0.003

 No

664

0.87 (0.18)

0.92 (1.00,0.81)

0.81 (0.14)

0.87 (0.87,0.77)

 Yes

57

0.80 (0.25)

0.81 (0.96,0.74)

0.75 (0.17)

0.80 (0.87,0.69)

Currently pregnant (n = 269)

0.55

0.220

 No

253

0.86 (0.19)

0.93(1.00,0.79)

0.80 (0.15)

0.84 (0.87,0.72)

 Yes

16

0.81 (0.27)

0.91 (0.98,0.73)

0.77 (0.11)

0.79 (0.87,0.70)

Have child(ren) (n = 715)

0.01

 < 0.001

 No

396

0.88 (0.18)

0.94 (1.00,0.82)

0.87 (0.18)

0.87 (0.94,0.77)

 Yes

319

0.85 (0.19)

0.91(0.99,0.77)

0.82 (0.14)

0.80 (0.87,0.72)

Been tested positive to COVID-19 (n = 721)

0.01

 < 0.001

 No

690

0.87 (0.17)

0.91 (1.00,0.80)

0.87 (0.18)

0.87 (0.87,0.77)

 Yes

31

0.75 (0.36)

0.85 (0.96,0.74)

0.81 (0.14)

0.72 (0.87,0.69)

Been suspected to COVID-19 (n = 720)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 No

580

0.89 (0.15)

0.95 (1.00,0.83)

0.82 (0.14)

0.87 (0.90,0.77)

 Yes

140

0.76 (0.27)

0.83 (1.00,0.67)

0.75 (0.16)

0.77 (0.87,0.69)

Been in quarantine (n = 720)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 No

593

0.89 (0.15)

0.95 (1.00,0.83)

0.82 (0.14)

0.87 (0.90,0.77)

 Yes

127

0.76 (0.27)

0.82 (1.00,0.82)

0.75 (0.16)

0.77 (0.87,0.69)

Been exposed to COVID-19 patients (n = 719)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 No

494

0.90(0.15)

0.96 (1.00,0.85)

0.83(0.13)

0.87 (0.92,0.80)

 Yes

225

0.80(0.23)

0.84 (0.96,0.69)

0.76(0.16)

0.80 (0.87,0.69)

Been exposed to COVID-19 in family (n = 721)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 No

670

0.88 (0.17)

0.92 (1.00,0.82)

0.81 (0.14)

0.87 (0.87,0.77)

 Yes

51

0.75 (0.31)

0.81 (0.92,0.65)

0.74(0.18)

0.77 (0.87,0.65)

Been exposed to a death due to COVID-19 (n = 721)

0.001

 < 0.001

 No

692

0.88 (0.17)

0.92 (1.00,0.84)

0.81 (0.14)

0.87 (0.87,0.77)

 Yes

29

0.70 (0.39)

0.79 (0.92,0.65)

0.67 (0.21)

0.73 (0.81,0.61)

Experienced a shortage of PPE (n = 721)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 No

335

0.90 (0.14)

0.96 (1.00,0.84)

0.82 (0.14)

0.87 (0.94,0.79)

 Yes

386

0.84 (0.21)

0.89 (1.00,0.74)

0.79 (0.15)

0.84 (0.87,0.72)

Experienced a shortage of drug (n = 720)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 No

498

0.90 (0.15)

0.95 (1.00,0.83)

0.82 (0.14)

0.87 (0.94,0.77)

 Yes

222

0.81(0.23

0.86 (0.96,0.70)

0.77 (0.16)

0.80 (0.87,0.69)

Having contacted a mental health worker (n = 721)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 No

663

0.88 (0.16)

0.92 (1.00,0.82)

0.81 (0.14)

0.87 (0.87,0.77)

 Yes

51

0.74 (0.30)

0.81 (0.91,0.65)

0.74 (0.18)

0.77 (0.87,0.61)

Health problems due to COVID-19

Traumatic memories (n = 717)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 No

575

0.90 (0.13)

0.95 (1.00,0.83)

0.82 (0.13)

0.87 (0.90,0.77)

 Yes

142

0.75(0.27)

0.84 (0.92,0.64)

0.74(0.17)

0.77 (0.87,0.65)

Depressed (n = 702)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Normal

469

0.91(0.13)

0.96 (1.00,0.88)

0.84 (0.12)

0.87 (0.94,0.80)

 Mild

169

0.82 (0.17)

0.83 (0.95,0.71)

0.77 (0.14)

0.80 (0.87,0.69)

 Moderate

55

0.71(0.22)

0.77 (0.87,0.52)

0.71(0.17)

0.77 (0.87,0.61)

 Severe

9

0.36 (0.41)

0.34 (0.63,0.22)

0.53 (0.24)

0.50 (0.75,0.37)

Anxiety (n = 720)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Normal

400

0.92 (0.13)

0.97 (1.00,0.88)

0.84(0.12)

0.87 (0.94,0.80)

 Mild

202

0.85(0.16)

0.90 (0.96,0.77)

0.80(0.13)

0.84 (0.87,0.77)

 Moderate

101

0.76(0.20)

0.79 (0.88,0.66)

0.73(0.16)

0.77 (0.87,0.64)

 Severe

17

0.56(0.41)

Insomnia (n = 717)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Normal

541

0.91(0.12)

0.96 (1.00,0.87)

0.83(0.12)

0.87 (0.94,0.80)

 Mild

124

0.78 (0.18)

0.80 (0.91,0.66)

0.75(0.15)

0.77 (0.87,0.66)

 Moderate

38

0.67 (0.26)

0.78 (0.88,0.52)

0.68 (0.18)

0.71 (0.86,0.63)

 Severe

14

0.51(0.40)

0.37 (0.69,0.32)

0.59 (0.21)

0.61 (0.70,0.45)

Distressed (n = 719)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Normal

480

0.92 (0.12)

0.96 (1.00, 0.88)

0.84 (0.12)

0.87 (0.94, 0.80)

 Mild

163

0.83 (0.17)

0.86 (0.95,0.73)

0.78 (0.13)

0.80 (0.87,0.72)

 Moderate

61

0.67(0.24)

0.66 (0.80,0.45)

0.66(0.19)

0.64 (0.77,0.52)

 Severe

15

0.55 (0.40)

0.54 (0.77,0.21)

0.63 (0.20)

0.65 (0.77,0.52)

Stressed out (n = 718)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 Normal

288

0.94 (0.09)

0.99 (1,0.91)

0.86 (0.10)

0.87 (0.94,0.84)

 Mild

106

0.87(0.16)

0.91 (0.96,0.79)

0.84 (0.09)

0.87 (0.87,0.80)

 Moderate

238

0.84 (0.18)

0.87 (0.96,0.76)

0.77 (0.15)

0.80 (0.87,0.69)

 Severe

86

0.72(0.26)

0.73 (0.88,0.52)

0.69 (0.17)

0.69 (0.80,0.52)

Fear of COVID-19 (n = 721)

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 0–9

63

0.91(0.14)

0.98 (0.81;0.12)

0.85 (0.10)

0.87 (0.54;0.08)

 10–19

296

0.88(0.15)

0.92(1.2;0.16)

0.82(0.10)

0.87(0.63;0.10)

 20–29

325

0.86 (0.16)

0.91(1.1;0.20)

0.79(0.15)

0.84 (0.71;0.17)

 > 29

37

0.66 (0.40)

0.80 (1.5;0.56)

0.66 (0.23)

0.69 (0.85;0.27)