Nursing students' mental health: How does eco-anxiety effect?
Seda Er1, Merve Murat2, Elvan Emine Ata2
1Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Department of Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing, Istanbul University - Cerrahpaşa, Istanbul, Türkiye.
International Journal of Mental Health Nursing
|March 29, 2024
Summary
Nursing students experience significant eco-anxiety, which is positively correlated with their mental health. This highlights the need for mental health nurses to address climate change-related anxiety.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Psychology
- Nursing Education
Background:
- Climate change significantly impacts human health.
- Eco-anxiety, anxiety related to ecological crisis, is an emerging concern.
- Understanding eco-anxiety in student populations is crucial for future healthcare professionals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess eco-anxiety levels among nursing students.
- To investigate the relationship between eco-anxiety and mental health (depression, anxiety, stress).
- To identify potential roles for mental health nurses in addressing eco-anxiety.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional correlational and descriptive study design.
- Survey administered to 609 nursing students from two Istanbul universities.
- Data collected using Personal Information Form, Eco-Anxiety Scale, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21).
- Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, Spearman correlation, and general linear model.
Main Results:
- The majority of participants were young women (84.2% female, 60.8% aged 18-20).
- Average Eco-Anxiety Scale score was 25.65 ± 7.49.
- Average DASS-21 score was 21.24 ± 14.76.
- A statistically significant positive correlation was found between eco-anxiety and DASS-21 scores.
Conclusions:
- Nursing students exhibit notable levels of eco-anxiety.
- Elevated eco-anxiety is associated with poorer mental health outcomes in this cohort.
- Mental health nurses are vital in developing interventions and raising awareness for eco-anxiety.
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