The Prevalence of Depression Among Nurses in Iran: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Introduction Mental disorders are a primary cause of the total burden of disability and morbidity worldwide. One common mental disorder is depression, which is estimated to affect 15% of adults. 1 According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression will become the first cause of disability-adjusted life years by 2030. 2 It is also expected that more than 350 million people will suffer from depression. 2 The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that for the period 2009-2012, 7.6% of Americans aged 12 and over had depression. 3 Depression is defined as a disorder affecting the whole body and afflicting the person with mental, physical, social, and spiritual problems. 4 Depression symptoms include low mood, feelings of worthlessness, suicidal thoughts and actions, and changes in the body's natural patterns (e.g., insomnia and malnutrition). 5 Depression also negatively affects interpersonal relationships, the ability to make decisions and judge correctly, and the quality of life. 6,7 Nurses, as key members of the treatment team, experience a high level of stress daily due to the nature of their profession. 8,9 Studies have shown a significant relationship between stress and depression symptoms in nurses. Nursing is a stressful profession that can cause depression. 2 Nurses are twice as likely to suffer from depression for their professional life. 2 Some major factors which cause depression in nurses are long work shifts, fatigue, and great stress. 10 Studies have also indicated that depression makes nurses vulnerable in relationships and causes job dissatisfaction, job burnout, and early retirement. 11,12 A nurse's mental health is a crucial factor to consider in human resources retention programs. Nurses are the largest group of employees in a healthcare system, and they are exposed to a considerable level of occupational stress. 10

Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety in Nurses during the First Eleven Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Unfortunately, there are not many such publications in the literature. Results of a systematic review and meta-analysis of the incidence of depression among nurses of various departments and hospitals in Iran indicated the prevalence of depression symptoms as being at a level of 26.88% (95% CI = 21.45-31.91%) [50]. A trend of change in the rate of incidence of depression can therefore be observed in this example, taking into account the time of publication of data from the various meta-analyses within the narrative analysis.…”

B Vitamins, work‐related stress and emotional mental disorders: a cross‐sectional study among nurses in Indonesia

“…We included nurses who have worked at least six months at the hospital and agreed to join the study and excluded nurses who have been undergoing treatment for mental disorders or were on leave for at least one month. In calculating sample size, we used some assumptions: prevalence of emotional mental disorders among nurses with vitamin B deficiency is 74.4% (P1), while the prevalence among those with adequate vitamin B is 25.5% (P2; Fereidouni et al., 2018 ; Tolmunen et al., 2004 ). Using a non‐paired categorical variable sample size formula, we required at least 36 nurses in this study.…”

Depression among healthcare workers in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…These challenges can have repercussions on the already limited healthcare workforce and may exacerbate the HCW shortage. One EMR country, Iran, reported a prevalence of depression among HCWs ranging from 22.00% to 45.30% in four meta-analyses published between 2017 and 2020 [ 19 – 22 ]. High depression prevalence among HCWs similar to Iran is also likely to be found across the EMR region due to similarities in culture, traditions, and customs [ 23 ].…”