Depression among Iranian nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Epidemiology
• Nursing Studies

Background:

• Depression is a prevalent mental disorder, with hospital service providers, including nurses, identified as a high-risk group.
• Understanding the prevalence of depression in nurses is crucial for developing targeted prevention strategies and improving healthcare.
• Nurses' mental well-being directly impacts patient care quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively assess the prevalence of depression among nurses through a systematic review and meta-analysis.
• To provide healthcare decision-makers with data for planning effective depression control programs for nurses.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published between January 2000 and March 2017.
• Searches conducted across major scientific databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, PsychInfo) and Iranian databases (Irandoc, SID, Magiran).
• Random effects model used for pooled prevalence calculation, with heterogeneity assessed using I2 and Q tests; subgroup analyses explored heterogeneity sources.

Main Results:

• 30 studies were included in the meta-analysis.
• The overall pooled prevalence of depression among nurses was 22% (95% Confidence Interval: 19-27%).
• High statistical heterogeneity was observed (I2=94%, Q-test=479.87), indicating significant variability across studies.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of depression in nurses is notably higher than in the general Iranian population.
• Ensuring nurses maintain good mental health is essential for optimizing patient care and hospital services.
• Further research into the causes of high depression rates among nurses is warranted.