A scoping review of the influence of psychosocial work factors on mental health of nurses in Africa

Background Nurses play a vital role in healthcare delivery across Africa. However, their mental health is increasingly threatened by adverse psychosocial work conditions. Despite rising concerns, evidence on the influence of these psychosocial hazards on nurses’ mental well-being across African settings remains fragmented. This scoping review aimed at synthesizing evidence on the psychosocial work factors that influence nurses’ mental health in Africa. Methods This scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was performed across PubMed Central, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and additional grey literature sources from January 2000 to June 2025. Results From a total of 5745 records, 30 studies met the inclusion criteria. Six major themes emerged regarding psychosocial work factors. They were job demands, job resources, workplace mistreatment and abuse, workplace interpersonal dynamics, leadership, and personal and career development. Specific factors include overwhelming workloads, emotional demands, unsafe work conditions, lack of autonomy, staff shortages, inadequate resources, workplace violence, poor managerial support, and minimal career progression, all of which created a stressful and demoralising work environment. These factors were consistently linked to a range of negative mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, emotional exhaustion, PTSD, cognitive impairment, insomnia, and feelings of worthlessness, while positive outcomes like psychological well-being were rarely reported. Conclusion Psychosocial work factors significantly influence the mental health of nurses in African contexts. These findings highlight the urgent need for strengthened occupational health policies, supportive leadership, and interventions that reduce job demands and enhance job resources.