Financial Strain Among Nurses and Midwives in Northern and Southern Ghana: A Cross-sectional Survey

Abstract

Aims: To describe financial strain, coping practices and perceived employment-related consequences among nursing and midwifery respondents in Northern and Southern Ghana. Study Design: Cross-sectional online survey. Place and Duration: Ghana, January–March 2026. Methodology: Responses were collected through a voluntary, non-probability survey circulated on professional union social-media platforms. The updated dataset comprised 1,406 submissions, including 548 from Northern Ghana and 858 from Southern Ghana. Financial circumstances and perceived occupational consequences were summarised descriptively; the reported analyses also included regional comparisons and exploratory adjusted models. Results: Salary was regarded as insufficient by 1,331 respondents (94.7%), while 1,171 (83.3%) reported financial difficulties always or frequently. Loans had been taken by 1,204 (85.6%), and 1,201 (85.4%) reported no supplementary income. Family responsibilities (80.0%) and housing expenditure (74.4%) were commonly reported burdens. Employer financial support was absent according to 1,360 respondents (96.7%). Negative or very negative perceived effects on job satisfaction were reported by 1,044 (74.3%). Overall, 895 respondents (63.7%) had considered leaving the profession. In exploratory adjusted models, frequent financial difficulty was associated with considering leaving (adjusted odds ratio 2.23; 95% confidence interval 1.52–3.27) and reporting effects on work (2.10; 1.48–2.98). The frequency of financial difficulty was similar across zones. Conclusion: Financial strain and borrowing were commonly reported among respondents, alongside perceived occupational consequences. The non-probability design and cross-sectional self-reports limit population generalisation and causal interpretation.