Status quo and influencing factors for anxiety, depression, and insomnia among 4 237 nurses in Hunan Province

Objectives: Public health emergencies have caused significant psychological burden on nurse and affect their mental health. After the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the nurse's mental health has been paid much attention. This study aims to investigate status and influencing factors for anxiety, depression, and insomnia in nurses during the normalized epidemic period, and to further compare the risk of anxiety, depression, and insomnia among nurses at different levels of hospitals between front-line epidemic nurses and other nurses so as to provide a basis for mental health work, nursing management, and relevant study in hospital.

Methods: A total of 4 237 nurses from all levels of hospitals in Hunan Province participated in the survey in December 2020. A self-designed anonymous questionnaire was used in this study. Anxiety, depression, and insomnia were assessed using Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 items (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 items (PHQ-9), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), respectively. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to evaluate nurses' anxiety, depression, and insomnia; t-test, analysis of variance, and multiple linear stepwise regression analysis were used to analyze the influencing factors of nurses' anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

Results: The scores of GAD-7 among 4 237 nurses were 4.44±4.20, with 10.3% of them experienced moderate to severe level anxiety. The scores of PHQ-9 were 6.03±4.76, with 17.5% of them experienced moderate to severe level depressive symptom. The scores of ISI were 8.37±5.42, with 12.3% of them experienced moderate to severe insomnia. There were significant differences in GAD-7, PHQ-9, and ISI scores among different groups of hospital levels, gender, professional title, position, education level, night shifts, and family monthly income (all P<0.05). Marital status, whether to participate in the front-line, and whether to participate in psychology training groups were not associated with anxiety, depression, and insomnia (all P>0.05). Gender, hospital level, professional title, educational background, more night shifts, and family monthly income were the influencing factors for the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores. Gender, length of service, position, hospital level, educational background, night shifts in the last year, and family monthly income were the influencing factors for ISI score.

Conclusions: There is no difference in the scores of the GAD-7, PHQ-9, and ISI between nurses whether to participate in the front-line, indicating that series of measures for front-line medical staff are effective in China.Meanwhile, some nurses experienced anxiety, depression, and insomnia, and attention should be paid to nurses with low position, more night shifts, lower-level hospitals, and families with low income. It is recommended that management policies, psychological support, and human resource protection should be given to relieve the pressure and maintain the mental health of nurses. At the same time, it is necessary to make mental health knowledge training as a routine training when responding to public health emergencies.