Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among Iranian nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak and their related factors

Abstract

Background: Psychological conditions such as stress, anxiety, and depression are emerging challenges in healthcare systems. These disorders are recognized as very common problems among the nursing staff. During the COVID-19 period, nursing staff has been exposed to the highest risk of psychological disorders. The study aimed to examine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress amongst Iranian nurses throughout the pandemic and to explore the possible factors related to each mental condition. Methods: A cross-sectional and web survey done from September 15 to December 15, 2020 amongst 1135 Iranian nurses. Stress, anxiety, and depression were measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A logistic regression analysis was performed to recognize the predictors. Results: The prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression was 75.6%, 79.2%, and 59.1%, respectively, among nurses. The outcomes of the multivariable logistic regression indicated that potential factors contributing to stress included female gender (odds ratio [OR] = 1.52), younger age (OR = 0.48), and work overload (OR = 1.73). Female gender (OR = 1.56), younger age (OR=0.27), and lower levels of education (OR = 0.50) were associated with high levels of anxiety. Also, lower education (OR=0.56), longer working hours (OR = 1.81), and working in intensive care units (OR = 1.67) significantly predicted a higher risk of depression symptoms in nurses. Conclusion: The present results showed that stress, anxiety, and depression were common amongst nurses working in public hospitals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Preventive measures, like psychological interventions, are suggested to decrease the risk of stress, anxiety, and depression among nurses; the identification of risk factors may also allow for more targeted interventions. There is an imperative need for diverse implementation strategies at all levels to decrease the psychological effect of the pandemic such as social support and psychological support in the workplace Keywords: Anxiety, COVID-19, Depression, Mental health, Nurses, Psychological disorders, Stress.