Prevalence and Influencing Factors of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms Amongst Surgical Nurses During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

BackgroundThe outbreak of novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has imposed an enormous physical and psychological pressure on people across the world. This study focused on evaluating the prevalence and influencing factors of anxiety and depression symptoms in surgical nurses during the epidemic in China. MethodA cross-sectional, multicenter quantitative study was conducted in Anhui province (China) from March 3, 2020 to March 19, 2020, with a questionnaire package which consisted of general information questionnaire，Zung's self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), Zung's self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and social support rating scale (SSRS). A total of 3600 surgical nurses participated in the survey by Wechat and QQ. Data were analysed using multiple linear regression models. ResultsA total of 3492 surgical nurses from 12tertiary hospitals and 12 secondary hospitals in one province of mainland China completed the survey. The prevalence rates of anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms were 24.83% and 22.39%, respectively. The average level of anxiety and depression of surgical nurses were higher than that of the Chinese norm (P< 0.05).Levels of social support for surgical nurses were significantly negatively associated with the degree of anxiety (r = -0.630, P < 0.001) and depression (r = -0.578, P < 0.001). Fertility status (β = 1.469, P = 0.003), hospital (β = -0.611, P < 0.001), participation in care for COVID-19 patients (β = 2.229, P < 0.001), likelihood of being infected with COVID-19 (β = 1.146, P < 0.001), social support (β = -0.623, P < 0.001) were significantly influencing surgical nurses’ anxiety degree. Similarly, these characteristics were significantly associated with the odds of experiencing depression symptoms in surgical nurses. Divorce and widowed surgical nurses (β = -2.654, P < 0.001) were significantly more likely to experience depressive symptoms than single nurses. ConclusionIn this survey, we found that the surgical nurses had high anxiety and depression symptoms during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. The findings suggest that targeted psychological interventions to promote the mental health of surgical nurses with psychological problems need to be immediately implemented.