Abstract
This study examines the prevalence of depression, anxiety and symptoms of stress among baccalaureate nursing students in Hong Kong. Recent epidemiological data suggest that the prevalence of mild to severe depression, anxiety and stress among qualified nurses in Hong Kong stands at 35.8%, 37.3% and 41.1%, respectively. A total of 661 nursing students were recruited to participate in our cross-sectional mental health survey using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine significant relationships between variables. Working in general medicine, being in financial difficulty, having sleep problems, not having leisure activity and perceiving oneself in poor mental health were significant correlates of past-week depression, anxiety and stress. Year of study, physical inactivity and family crisis in the past year correlated significantly with depression. Imbalanced diets significantly correlated with anxiety. Stress was significantly associated with a lack of alone time. This is the first study to confirm empirically that clinical specialty, financial difficulties and lifestyle factors can increase nursing students’ levels of depression and anxiety and symptoms of stress. Prevention, including the early detection and treatment of mental disorder, promises to reduce the prevalence of these indicators among this group.
Highlights
Some students find the transition from adolescence to adulthood stressful
A total of 1270 nursing students registered in the Baccalaureate Degree in nursing and Baccalaureate Degree in mental health nursing
Our study has identified significant predictors of psychosocial disturbance in Hong Kong nursing students
Summary
Some students find the transition from adolescence to adulthood stressful. At university, students first start to become responsible for their own life decisions and lifestyle, healthy or otherwise.First-year students need especially to adapt to a new learning environment and cope with academic and social demands of professional training [1]. Some students find the transition from adolescence to adulthood stressful. Students first start to become responsible for their own life decisions and lifestyle, healthy or otherwise. First-year students need especially to adapt to a new learning environment and cope with academic and social demands of professional training [1]. High academic expectations are stressful and can theoretically in themselves pose risks to students’ physical and mental health [2]. The most common psychiatric problems found among students are depression, anxiety and stress [3,4]. Recent local and international studies reveal a heavy prevalence of depression among freshmen [5,6], besides students in other years of study [7,8].
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