Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Nurses Working in a Tertiary Care Centre in Southern India

Purpose: Nursing professionals have to meet huge expectations on one side and cope with the demanding situations on the other side. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among nurses working at a tertiary care centre in South India.

Design: Cross-sectional survey design.

Methods: 387 female nursing professionals aged 20-50 years, working at a tertiary care centre for a minimum of two years, voluntarily participated in the study. Individuals with a history of psychiatric illness, major health problems, or those on sleep medication were excluded. Anxiety, depression, and stress levels were assessed by administering the DASS 21 questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and percentages were calculated using Microsoft Excel.

Findings: The results showed prevalence of: Anxiety (63.3%); depression (56.05%); and stress (36.17%) in those who participated in the survey. Anxiety was highest, followed by depression, and lastly, stress.

Conclusions: Work-related anxiety is the commonest mental health issue reported by professional nurses, followed by depression and stress. Yoga-based intervention would be efficacious if implemented within hospitals both to prevent and manage mental health problems associated with the nursing profession.