Contact tracing is a tough job to do amidst the pandemic. Contact tracers are subject to stress that could progress to mental health disorders. This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to determine the mental health status and coping strategies of COVID-19 contact tracers in Zamboanga City. The mental health and coping strategies of the 215 contact tracers who participated in the study were assessed using the Insomnia Severity Index, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, and Brief COPE. Meanwhile, to identify the difficulties faced by the workers in contact tracing and its process, four respondents were subjected to an in-depth interview. Results revealed prevalence of borderline anxiety (21 percent) and abnormal level of anxiety (14 percent). In terms of depression, prevalence was 43 (20 percent) borderline and 16 (7 percent) abnormal level. For insomnia, there is a prevalence of 81 (38 percent), 28 (13 percent) and 7 (3 percent) for subthreshold level, moderate, and severe level of insomnia, respectively. This study concludes considerate proportion of anxiety, depression, and insomnia symptoms among contact tracers during the pandemic. For coping strategy, 128 (60 percent) of the contact tracers identified prayer or meditation as the most used. Furthermore, dealing with uncooperative contacts and barangay officials, discrimination, lack of personal protective equipment, standard operating procedure in contact tracing not being strictly followed, no regular COVID 19 swab testing, fear of bringing the COVID 19 virus to their respective homes, and lack of facility for contact tracers were the identified barriers and difficulties in contact tracing. The process of contact tracing starts as a positive COVID-19 patient is confirmed; the data of the patient is passed to the City Health Office contact tracing team, then the data is forwarded to the contact tracers assigned in the barangay of the patient. Before proceeding to the house of the patient, the contact tracer first calls the patient or the patient’s household member to inform them that they would be coming to their house to put it on lockdown and interview them. Henceforth, the contact tracing team goes to the house of the given patient in their full personal protective equipment (PPE) and interview the household members along with at least three neighboring houses. Finally, after tracing, the contact tracers shall make an activity report to be submitted to the City Health Office and the Department of Internal and Local Government.

Keyword: Mental health status and coping strategies COVID-19 contact tracers