Effort-reward imbalance and depressive state in nurses

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Psychiatry
• Nursing

Background:

• Nurses' mental health is a significant concern in healthcare settings.
• Workplace stressors can negatively impact nurses' psychological well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between effort-reward imbalance (ERI) and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• To examine these relationships specifically within nurses employed in a Japanese general hospital.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 406 nurses using a self-report questionnaire.
• The Japanese version of the ERI scale measured work stress.
• Depression and anxiety were assessed using an item from the QOL-26 scale.
• Logistic regression analysis identified factors contributing to depressive states.

Main Results:

• A higher effort-money ratio was significantly correlated with a depressive state (OR: 2.75; 95% CI: 1.34-5.66).
• Higher levels of overcommitment also showed a significant correlation with the depressive state (OR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.15-1.41).

Conclusions:

• Effort-reward imbalance, particularly the effort-money ratio, is linked to depression in nurses.
• Overcommitment at work is an additional critical factor contributing to nurses' depressive states.
• Health promotion services should target these work-related factors to support nurses' mental health.