Anxiety and D
Anxiety and Depression among Nursing Staff at King Fahad Medical City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Mostafa A F. Abbas 1, 2; Lamiaa Z. Abu Zaid 1, 2; Mona Hussaein 3; Khaled H. Bakheet 1 and Nasser A. AlHamdan1
1 Faculty of Medicine; KSAU-HS, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
2 Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
3 Nursing Administration, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Abstract: Background: Nursing staff are exposed to numerous stresses that affect their psychological status. This study aimed to survey nursing staff at KFMC, for anxiety and depression symptoms using HAD scale. Methods: Nursing staff at KFMC were received self-administered questionnaires containing socio-demographic data, work-related data and the bilingual (English and Arabic) Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS). Results: For anxiety 53% of the study subjects were normal (scores 0-7) and 27% were classified as cause of concern (scores 8-10) while the probable clinical cases (scores ≥11) represented 20%. For depression, 75% were normal (scores 0-7) and 15% were classified as cause of concern (scores 8-10) while the probable clinical cases (scores ≥11) represented 10%. The highest prevalence rate of probable clinical cases of anxiety (23%) was reported among the age group 20 to less than 30 years. While the highest prevalence rate of probable clinical cases of depression (10.9%) was reported among the age group 30 to less than 40 years. Nurses from the Middle East region have significantly higher anxiety and depression symptoms prevalence rates than the other nationalities. Also, nurses who are not practicing physical activity have significantly higher anxiety and depression symptoms prevalence rates than those who are practicing physical activity. For smoking, there was a significant association between both anxiety and depression and the current smoking status where smokers have higher anxiety and depression symptoms prevalence rates. The study also revealed that there is no statistically significant association between working life characteristics and anxiety and depression symptoms. Conclusion: Middle Eastern nurses, Divorced/widowed nurses, lack of physical exercise and smoking were risk factors for anxiety/depression symptoms among nursing staff.Recommendation: Annual HAD scale might be helpful in identifying nursing staff who are considered as probable clinical case of anxiety and/or depression for support program from nursing management. Smoking cessation and physical exercise is in favor of good psychological health of nursing staff. Major health education and health promotion programs are required to foster exercise and no smoking culture among nursing staff.
[Mostafa A F. Abbas; Lamiaa Z. Abu Zaid; Mona Hussaein; Khaled H. Bakheet and Nasser A. AlHamdan. Anxiety and Depression among Nursing Staff at King Fahad Medical City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. J Am Sci 2012;8(10):788-794]. (ISSN: 1545-1003). http://www.jofamericanscience.org. 106
Keywords : nursing staff; HAD scale; anxiety; depression Full Text 106
