Depressive Symptoms and Their Associated Factors in Nursery School Teachers: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

Background Although nursery school teachers may experience depressive symptoms, there have been few studies exploring the associated factors. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression and explore its associated factors in nursery school teachers. Methods This cross-sectional study surveyed nursery school teachers in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms as measured by the five-item Mental Health Inventory. We used a logistic regression model to assess the factors. Results Respondents were 148 teachers (36%) out of 410 nursery school teachers in 21 nursery schools, and 65 (44%) indicated that they had depressive symptoms. Using the Work Limitation Questionnaire (WLQ), productivity loss score (adjusted risk ratio [ARR], 1.17; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.02 to 1.34) and psychological demands (ARR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.53) were found to be associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusions The associated factors with depressive symptoms were high psychological demands and a high degree of presenteeism. Further prospective cohort studies with larger sample sizes should be conducted to confirm these relationships.