High Prevalence Of Depressive Symptoms Research Articles

The Role of Loneliness and Self-Compassion as Predictors of Depressive Symptoms in College Students

High prevalence of depressive symptoms was found in college students. Loneliness, as one common problem incollege students, is assumed to have a role in the development of depressive symptoms. Earlier research foundself-compassion to be associated with better mental health. It is necessary to examine how loneliness and self-compassion play a role in the presence of depressive symptoms in college students. A total of 401 college studentsin the Jabodetabek area were involved in this research by completing online measurement instruments consistingof demographic questionnaire, 6-Item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, Self-Compassion Scale – Short Form,and Patient Health Questionnaire - 9. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Results showed thatloneliness had a significant role in predicting the increase in depressive symptoms, b = .374; t(392) = 7.68, p <.01, while self-compassion was able to predict the reduction of depressive symptoms in college students, b = -.353; t(392) = -7.15, p < .01. This study illustrates the importance of considering the quality of relationships anddeveloping self-compassion as an effort to reduce depression symptoms in college student

Prevalence Estimates, Severity, and Risk Factors of Depressive Symptoms among Coronary Artery Disease Patients after Ten Days of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background:Depression and cardiovascular disorders are significant determinants of health that affect the quality of life and life expectations. Despite the high importance of depression screening among Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) patients, the time being to assess and treat it remains controversial.Objectives:This study aims to assess the prevalence estimates and severity of depressive symptoms and determine the risk factors associated with developing such symptoms among CAD patients after ten days of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI).Methods:All patients who underwent elective PCI between October 5, 2019, and Mid-March 2020 and diagnosed with CAD were included in this cross-sectional study. CAD was defined as intra-luminal stenosis of ≥ 50% in one or more of the coronary arteries. Depressive symptoms were screened after ten days of the PCI utilizing the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) tool. A linear regression model was used to assess the adjusted effects of independent variables on PHQ-9 scores. Electronic medical records, clinical charts, and PCI and echocardiogram reports were reviewed.Results:Out of 385 CAD patients, a total of 335 were included in this study, with a response rate of 87%. The participants' mean (±SD) age was 57.5±10.7 years, 75.2% were males, 43% were current smokers, and 73.7% had below bachelor's education. The prevalence estimates of patients with moderate to severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥10) was 34%, mild depression 45.1%, and normal 20.9%. Female gender, low educational level and diabetes mellitus were found to be the significant independent predictors of depression among our cohort with (t(333) = 3.68, p<0.001); (t(333) = 5.13, p<0.001); and (t(333) = 2.79, p=0.042), respectively.Conclusion:This study suggests a high prevalence of depressive symptoms among CAD patients after ten days of PCI. Approximately one out of three patients with CAD have significant symptoms of depression, which is an alarming finding for clinicians. Moreover, this study demonstrates a lack of sufficient depression recognition and management in similar study settings. Integration of mental health assessment and treatment among patients with CAD as soon as after PCI is recommended for optimal and effective treatment and to obtain the best outcomes.

Medical students' engagement in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: The influence of psychological factors on readiness to volunteer.

Objective: To avert staff shortages during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in spring 2020, the medical faculties of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) appealed to their students to volunteer for relief work. In this study, we examine the influence of psychological factors on the students’ decisions to respond to this call or not. Methodology: We report on a cross-sectional study based on an online survey among medical students at the TUM and LMU. The survey consisted of a questionnaire containing items on motivation and other factors related to the decision for or against volunteering. Questions were also asked about anxieties regarding COVID-19 and the occurrence of depressive symptoms, as well as about resilience.Results: Responses from 244 participants were analysed. Students’ decisions to volunteer revealed both altruistic and introjected motivations. For those students who did not volunteer, time overlaps and workload related to other activities played an important role. Between the two groups, no significant difference was detected in terms of their resilience and COVID-19-related anxieties. However, the non-volunteering students reported a significantly higher prevalence of depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Sense of duty and the desire to help were, according to the students, the most important reasons for volunteering. Depressive symptoms and lack of time made volunteering less likely. Resilience and COVID-19-related anxieties do not seem to have had any influence on the decision to volunteer or not.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown on Mental Well-Being of Norwegian Adolescents During the First Wave-Socioeconomic Position and Gender Differences.

Background: The lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic has been called a crisis in mental health, and adolescents may have been among the most affected. Comparing the first period of societal lockdown in spring 2020 to periods going back to 2014 using a rich cross-sectional dataset based on repeated surveys, we explore the potential changes in self-reported mental well-being across sociodemographic groups among Norway's adolescents.Methods: Norway closed schools and implemented strict restrictions in March 2020; an electronic questionnaire survey was distributed to lower secondary school students in Trøndelag county (N = 2,443) in May 2020. Results were compared with similar surveys conducted annually in the same county dating back to 2014. Logistic regression models were applied to investigate potential changes in depressive symptoms, loneliness, and quality of life and life satisfaction, and to detect possible differences in the impact of lockdown between the genders and socioeconomic groups.Results: The prevalence of boys and girls reporting high quality of life (43–34%; 23–16%) and life satisfaction (91–80%; 82–69%) decreased significantly compared to the pre-pandemic. For girls only, lockdown was associated with higher odds for reporting high depressive symptoms. As expected, the least privileged socioeconomic groups showed the greatest psychological distress. However, our trend analyses provided no evidence that the socioeconomic inequalities in psychological distress (according to prevalence of high depressive symptoms or loneliness) changed substantial in any direction during the first wave of the pandemic [between the pre-pandemic and inter-pandemic periods].Conclusion: Adolescents are vulnerable, and interventions should provide them with mental health support during crises such as societal lockdown. In particular, the social and health policy, public health, and further research should target these least privileged groups.

Psychological Burden During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany.

After the first COVID-19 case was diagnosed in Germany, various measures limiting contact between people were introduced across the country. The implementation of these measures varied between jurisdictions and potentially had a negative impact on the psychological well-being of many people. However, the prevalence, severity, and type of symptoms of psychological burden has not been documented in detail. In the current study, we analysed various self-reported symptoms of psychological burden in a German sample. The dataset was collected between April 8th and June 1st, 2020, through an online survey measuring psychological burden using the ICD-10-symptom rating scale. More than 2,000 individuals responded to the survey, with a total of 1,459 complete datasets. Data was then sampled to compare (1) the new data to an existing demographically comparable reference dataset including a total of 2,512 participants who did not undergo any kind of contact restrictions or other pandemic measurements, and (2) psychological burden in two different German states. In line with recent observations from Germany, Italy, China, Austria and Turkey, we found a high prevalence of depressive symptoms in comparison to the reference sample. Furthermore, we found a high prevalence of eating disorder and compulsion symptoms. Especially younger adults and women reported a higher symptom severity compared to other groups during our measurement period. However, no difference between the two states in psychological burden was found.

One-year trajectories of postpartum depressive symptoms and associated psychosocial factors: findings from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study

BackgroundTrajectories of postpartum depressive symptoms up to 1 year after childbirth and the related risk factors remain unclear. Accordingly, this study aimed to examine the 1-year trajectories of postpartum depressive symptoms and their associated risk factors. MethodsA total of 22,493 pregnant women were recruited between July 2013 and September 2016 in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study in Japan. Among them, 11,668 women with no missing data were included in the analyses. Depressive symptoms were assessed at 1 month and 1 year postpartum using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Multinominal logistic regression analysis was conducted after adjusting for covariates. ResultsThe prevalence of depression was 13.9% at 1 month and 12.9% at 1 year postpartum. We identified four depression trajectories, i.e., “persistent (depressed throughout the 1 year postpartum)” (6.0%), “recovered (depressed at 1 month postpartum and recovered within a year)” (7.9%), “late-onset (became depressed after 1 month postpartum)” (6.8%), and “resilient (not depressed throughout 1 year postpartum)” (79.2%). Psychological distress during pregnancy was significantly associated with all trajectories (persistent: odds ratio [OR]=10.24, 95% confidence interval (CI)=8.40-12.48; recovered: OR=3.78, 95%CI=3.28-4.36; and late-onset: OR=3.96, 95%CI=3.40-4.62). LimitationsPostpartum depression was evaluated only by a self-administered questionnaire and the dropout rate was not neglectable. ConclusionsThis study highlighted the high prevalence of depressive symptoms at 1 year postpartum and found that half of the depressive symptoms at 1 year were late-onset. The findings suggest the necessity of long-term follow-up (up to 1 year) for perinatal mental health.

Study the Prevalence of Depression in Patients Attending Comprehensive Care Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract: &#x0D; Depression is one of the most common neuropsychiatric complications of HIV disease, and this leads to worse HIV-related health outcomes. With 350 million people affected worldwide, rates of depression are roughly two times greater in people living with HIV than in the general population.&#x0D; Objective: Determine prevalence of depression in patients attending Comprehensive Care Centre Shifa international Hospital, Islamabad&#x0D; Design: Descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study. &#x0D; Settings: Shifa international Hospital, Islamabad Comprehensive Care Centre,&#x0D; Methods: This data is from a bigger study ‘prevalence of alcohol use disorders and depression in patients attending Comprehensive Care Centre (CCC). The study population consisted of PLWHA attending the CCC. Two hundred and seventy-two (N=272) participants from CCC attendants were recruited. All consenting male and female aged 18-65 years were interviewed using the researcher’s designed questioner to collect their socio-demographic characteristics. Fully completed questionnaires were entered into excel sheets and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20. &#x0D; Results: The overall prevalence of depression was 23.8%, with mild depression at 9.7%, moderate depression at 10.4% and severe depression accounting for 3.7%, respectively. Depression was associated with alcohol use (p=0.024). A significant difference between depression and age where depression levels worsens as age advances; respondents in age category of 18-21 years had less or no depression compared to those in the age category of 33 years and above. We found an association between depression and employment. Those laid-off work (1/3), and the retired (15%) had more depression compared to the employed (11%) or self-employed 6%, with a P value of 0.55 (borderline). On multivariate analysis severity of depression (OR=5.5, 95% CI of OR [2.1 –14.3], p&lt;0.0001) was associated with male gender (OR=10, 95% CI of OR [3.6 –28.3], p&lt;0.0001).&#x0D; Conclusion: The study findings indicate a high prevalence of depressive symptoms in patients attending the CCC. There is need to set-up appropriate interventions and strategies to reduce the prevalence of mental health disorders into routine HIV clinical care and support.

Emotional Intelligence as a Mediator between Subjective Sleep Quality and Depression during the Confinement Due to COVID-19.

In March of 2020, as a consequence of the health crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus, the State of Alarm and home confinement of the entire population was imposed in Spain. It is foreseeable that this exceptional situation will have psychological effects on citizens. In this work, the impact of confinement on perceived sleep quality and depression is evaluated through questionnaires, as well as the mediating role of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in this relationship. Our results show, firstly, higher prevalence of depressive symptoms in women and young people associated with poorer perceived sleep quality, and secondly, that Emotional Intelligence intervenes as a mediator in this relationship through three different pathways. Worse perceived quality of sleep causes a greater number of depressive symptoms. In addition, this direct relationship may be enhanced by the mediating role of Emotional Intelligence, which we can express in three different ways: low perceived sleep quality and high emotional attention lead to greater depression; low perceived sleep quality and low emotional clarity increase greater symptoms of depression; and low perceived sleep quality together with low clarity and low emotional repair increase levels of depression. Therefore, we can conclude that improving the skills involved in Emotional Intelligence might increase perceived sleep quality, and thus reduce depressive symptoms, which in turn may improve the quality of life.

Percepção da Qualidade de Vida e Prevalência de Sintomas de Depressão em Universitários

This study has as general objective to evaluate the perception of quality of life and prevalence of depression symptoms in university students of a Higher Education Institution. Also having as specific objectives, to correlate the quality of life with the depression symptoms of the students and to outline the sociodemographic profile of the analyzed students. This is a clinical, prospective research with a quantitative approach. And it was developed in a private higher education institution in Teresina, data collection took place through online questionnaires, from August to October 2020. It can be concluded that students consider their quality of life poor and that there is high prevalence of depression symptoms in students, even if minimal or mild. And when correlating the symptoms of depression with the quality of life, it is noticed that they are significantly correlated, that is, these symptoms directly harm the quality of life of these students.

Unemployment associated with major depression disorder and depressive symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives. This study investigated the association between unemployment and depressive symptoms and major depression disorder worldwide using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods. Search time was limited to all articles published in English until December 2020. In the association between unemployment and depression, first, the results of qualified studies were extracted and, then, the results of each study were pooled with each other using the random effects method. Results. The prevalence of depression in the unemployed is 21%, 95% confidence interval (CI) [18, 24%]. This prevalence for depression symptoms is 24%, 95% CI [20, 28%] and for major depressive disorder is 16%, 95% CI [9–24%]. The association between unemployment and depressive symptoms was odds ratio (OR) 2.06, 95% CI [1.85, 2.30] and the association for major depressive disorder was OR 1.88, 95% CI [1.57, 2.25]. The association between unemployment and depression in men was OR 2.27, 95% CI [1.76, 2.93] and in women was OR 1.62, 95% CI [1.40, 1.87]. Conclusions. What is clear from the present study is that unemployment can lead to a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms and major depressive disorder, thereby undermining the mental health of the unemployed.

Prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptoms among family caregivers of palliative care patients at Hospice Africa Uganda.

This study aimed to establish the prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptoms among family caregivers of palliative care patients at Hospice Africa Uganda. We used a mixed method study to determine the prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptoms among family caregivers of palliative care patients at Hospice Africa Uganda. We assessed depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and collected socio-demographic data using a tailored questionnaire. We used binary logistic regression to assess for the association between depressive symptomatology and caregiver socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. We recruited 161 family caregivers, 64% of whom were female. The study revealed a high prevalence of depressive symptoms (46%) (n = 74) among the family caregivers. Education status and religious affiliation were significantly associated with depressive symptomatology. Family caregivers of palliative care patients face a high burden of depressive symptoms. Efforts to care for family caregivers within palliative care should include assessment and management of depressive symptoms in this population.

Emotional Labor and Depressive Symptoms Among Healthcare Workers: The Role of Sleep

Depression is the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Health care workers report a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms than the general population. Emotional labor has contributed to poor health and work outcomes. However, the mechanism for the potential association between emotional labor and depressive symptoms has not been well studied. This study examines the relationship between emotional labor and depressive symptoms and whether sleep plays a role in explaining this relationship. In 2018, health care workers (n = 1,060) from five public sector facilities in the northeast United States participated in this cross-sectional survey. The survey included questions on participants' surface-acting emotional labor (masking one's feelings at work), depressive symptoms, sleep duration and disturbances, and socio-demographic characteristics. Multivariable linear and Poisson regression modeling were used to examine associations among variables. There was a significant association between emotional labor and depressive symptoms (β = 0.82, p < .001). Sleep disturbances, but not short sleep duration, partially mediated this association. Neither sleep variable moderated this association. Depressive symptoms were prevalent among health care workers and were associated with emotional masking. Sleep disturbances play an important intermediate role in translating emotional labor to depressive symptoms in these workers. Effective workplace programs are needed to reduce health care workers' emotional labor to improve their mental health. Sleep promotion should also be emphasized to mitigate the negative effect of emotional labor and promote mental wellbeing.

Association Between Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Resident Physicians.

Background: Previous studies have suggested that sleep quality is associated with depressive symptoms. However, associations between overall sleep quality and depressive symptoms in Chinese resident physicians remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether overall sleep quality is associated with depressive symptoms in Chinese resident physicians.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,230 resident physicians. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Logistic regression analysis was applied to estimate the associations between the PSQI and PHQ-9.Results: Among all participants, the prevalence of mild (PHQ-9 ≥ 5) and moderate or severe (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) depressive symptoms were 48.28 and 12.93%, respectively. PSQI score was positively associated with PHQ-9 score before and after adjustments of socio-demographic, behavioral, and psychologic confounding factors (all P < 0.0001). After adjustments, the regression coefficients (standard error) between PSQI scores and PHQ-9 scores were 0.95 (0.04), 0.88 (0.09), and 0.96 (0.05) in all participants, men, and women, respectively. Compared to physicians with good sleep quality (PSQI scores ≤ 5), the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] for mild (PHQ-9 ≥ 5) and moderate or severe (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) depressive symptoms in physicians with poor sleep quality were 7.15 (5.44, 9.46) and 6.17 (4.03, 9.71) in all participants, respectively.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that poor sleep quality was associated with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms in Chinese resident physicians.

Adherence to the 24-hour Movement Behavior Guidelines and Associations with Depressive Symptoms among College Students

ABSTRACT Engaging in healthy daily 24-h movement behaviors (e.g., moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA] ≥ 60 minutes, screen time <2 hours, and sleep ≥ 7 hours) is suggested to be associated with favorable mental health outcomes (e.g., less depressive symptoms and higher quality of life). Given the high prevalence of depressive symptoms among young adults worldwide, the primary purpose of this study was to examine the effects of sociodemographic factors, weight status, and adherence to the 24-h movement behavior guidelines on depressive symptoms among college students. A total of 278 college students (187 women; Mage = 22.38, SD = 3.91) completed the validated depressive symptom survey and wore the accelerometers (GT9X ActiGraph) objectively assessing their light PA [LPA], moderate-to-vigorous PA [MVPA], sedentary behavior, and sleep duration. Significant associations of sociodemographic factors (sex, academic level, race) and weight status with the prevalence of depressive symptoms were observed (p < .05), but not with adherence to the 24-h movement behavior guidelines. No significant associations were found between adherence to the 24-h movement behavior guidelines and the likelihood of depressive symptoms (odds ratios ranged from 0.56 to 1.85; p > .05). Adherence to the 24-h movement behavior guidelines was associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms among college students. Higher education institutions should focus on depression screening and prevention among college students who are women, minority, and in an overweight/obese weight status.

The mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between self- criticism and depression symptoms in University students

Introduction: The assessment of global mental health indicates a rise in mental disorders especially those related to depression. Aim: Considering the high prevalence of depression symptoms and its serious implications, the aim of current study was to investigate the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between self-criticism and depression. Method: The research design was descriptive-correlational. Statitical population was dormitory male students at the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, in Tehran, in the academic year of 2018-2019. A total of 270 students were selected via convenience sampling. Data was collected using General Self-efficacy Scale, Self- Criticising Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory-II. Hierarchical regression was used to analyze data via SPSS-21. Results: Results showed that the relationship between self-criticism and depression (r=0.70, p&lt;0.01) was significantly positive. On the other hand, self-efficacy and depression related to one another negatively (r=-0.47, p&lt;0.01), as so did self-criticism and self-efficacy (r=-0.59, p&lt;0.01). Results from hierarchical regression suggested self-efficacy not midiate the relationship between self-criticism and depression (P=0.096) although 49.6% of the depression variance was accounted by the two variables. Conclusion: Overall, given the direct effect of self-criticism on depression, it is reasonable to expect that diminished self-criticism reduces depression among university students.

Depressive Symptoms and Burnout Among Medical Students: a Prospective Study.

Depressive symptoms and burnout are common among medical students. However, few studies have investigated their trajectory over the course of medical school. Evaluate year-by-year changes in depressive and burnout symptoms over the course of medical school training. Prospective study. Medical students who matriculated at a private medical school inMaryland from 2010 to 2016 (n=758). Clinically significant depressive symptoms were defined as a score of ≥10 on the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). High emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment were defined as scores of ≥ 27, ≥10, and ≤33 on the respective MBI subscales. At matriculation, the prevalences of significant depressive symptoms, high emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment were 4.3%, 9.4%, 8.6%, and 37.7%, respectively. After adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, and cohort, compared with year 1, the odds of significant depressive symptoms was significantly higher at the beginning of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years of study (ORs=2.63, 2.85, and 3.77, respectively; all ps<0.001). Compared with the 1st year, the odds of high emotional exhaustion also increased during the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years of study, (ORs=3.46, 4.79, 8.20, respectively; all ps<0.001), as did the odds of high depersonalization (ORs=3.55, 6.14, 12.53, respectively; all ps<0.001). The odds of low personal accomplishment did not significantly differ across years of study. The results of this study suggest that symptoms of depression and burnout may increase during medical school. Because of the high prevalence of depressive symptoms and burnout in medical students, interventions earlier in the medical career pathway that aim to prevent, detect, and treat these symptoms may be of benefit to the physician community.

Music Listening in Times of COVID-19 Outbreak: A Brazilian Study.

The COVID-19 outbreak required diverse strategies, such as social distancing and self-isolation, to avoid a healthcare system crisis. However, these measures have been associated with the onset or increase of anxiety and depression symptoms in the population. Music listening was previously shown to regulate emotion, consequently reducing depression symptoms. Since previous studies with Brazilian samples have already shown a high prevalence of depressive symptoms during the first confinement period, the aim of this study was threefold: (i) to compare groups with severe depression symptoms and no depression in what concerns to demographic and socio-economic factors as well as symptoms of anxiety and resilience levels, (ii) to explore changes in music listening daily routine during the confinement measures by both groups (no depression and severe depression), and (iii) to investigate which were the main factors influencing both two groups to music listening during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study included 494 Brazilian respondents aged 18 years and above. Our online survey comprised demographics, socio-economic, and COVID-19 related questionnaires, with questions regarding music listening used during social distancing measures on which the participants rated how much each of the 41 potential reasons for listening to music changed in importance compared to the situation before the pandemic and also the evaluation of anxiety, depression, and resilience levels. The respondents with severe depression were younger and showed higher levels of anxiety symptoms and lower resilience level. Furthermore, they were increasingly likely to listen to music to feel emotionally better with the situation, to feel comfort, to forget problems, to be energetic, to decrease sad feelings, to relax, to cheer up, to forget concerns, to express feelings, to reduce anxiety, to remember better times, to relieve boredom, to mentally stimulate themselves, and to ward off stressful thoughts compared to the participants with no depression. The exploratory factor analysis (FA) identified four types of music listening functions during social distancing measures: negative mood management, cognitive functioning, positive mood management, and physical involvement, in which the participants with severe depression revealed significant differences compared to non-depressed participants for the negative mood management factor, which shows the importance of music listening to regulate their negative emotions. As a conclusion, we can argue that most of our respondents used music listening to cope with and regulate their moods during confinement, especially those who presented with severe depression symptoms.

750 Sleep disturbances mediates the association between emotional labor and depressive symptoms among healthcare workers

Abstract Introduction Depression is the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Healthcare workers report a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms than the general population. Emotional labor has contributed to poor health and work outcomes. However, the mechanism for the potential association between emotional labor and depressive symptoms has not been well studied. Methods In 2018, healthcare workers (n=1,060) from five public sector facilities in the northeast U.S. participated in this cross-sectional survey. The survey included questions on participants’ surface-acting emotional labor (masking one’s feelings at work), depressive symptoms, sleep duration and disturbances, and socio-demographics. Results Nearly a quarter (21.7%) of the participants reported depressive symptoms, over a half (53.6%) reported short sleep duration (≤6 hours per day), and nearly one third (32.2%) reported sleep disturbances. There was a significant association between emotional labor and depressive symptoms (β=0.82, p&amp;lt;0.001) among these workers. Sleep disturbances, not short sleep duration, partially mediated this association by 17%. Both sleep disturbances and short sleep duration did not modify this association. Conclusion Depressive symptoms were prevalent among healthcare workers and were associated with emotional masking. Sleep disturbances play an important intermediate role in translating emotional labor to depressive symptoms in these workers. Effective workplace programs are needed to reduce healthcare workers’ emotional labor in order to improve their mental health. Sleep promotion should be emphasized to mitigate the negative effect of emotional labor and promote healthcare workers’ mental wellbeing. Support (if any) The Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace is supported by Grant Number 1 U19 OH008857 from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC). This work is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIOSH. We are grateful to the CPH-NEW Research Team working together to collect the questionnaire data.

High Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms Among Ugandan Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

BackgroundThere is a scarcity of data on the burden of depression among Ugandans with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. We aimed to screen for symptoms of depression, their severity and associated factors among patients with RA in Uganda.Patients and MethodsA descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted between September and December 2020 at Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH) and Nsambya Hospital. Patients with RA were enrolled consecutively. Data on demographics, disease course and comorbidities and depression symptomatology were collected through an interviewer administered questionnaire. Symptoms of depression were screened for using the depression/anxiety dimension of the EuroQoL questionnaire.ResultsForty-eight patients with a median age of 52 (IQR: 43.5–60.5) years were recruited in the study. The majority of the patients were female (91.7%, n=44). Twenty-nine patients (60.4%) had comorbidities with a median Charlson comorbidity score of 3 (IQR: 2–4). Overall, 70.8% (n=34) had depressive symptoms. Patients attending MNRH were more likely to have depressive symptoms (p=0.025). Significantly, patients with depressive symptoms were younger (p=0.027), had lower health index value (p<0.001), and lower overall self-reported health status (p=0.013). At binary logistic regression, patients at MNRH (crude odds ratio (COR): 4.32, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16–16.15, P=0.030), patients aged <52 years (COR: 5.24, 95% CI: 1.23–22.28, P=0.025) and those with mild RA (COR: 5.71, 95% CI: 1.15–28.35, P=0.033) were significantly more likely to have depressive symptoms. Increase in age (COR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89–0.99, P=0.025), and high visual analogue score (COR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89–0.99, P=0.013) were protective.ConclusionDepressive symptoms were common among RA patients in Uganda. Routine screening, diagnosis and management of depression is recommended among young patients to improve quality of life and patient outcomes.

Social support and depressive symptoms among physicians in tertiary hospitals in China: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundSocial support is an important factor for individual’s mental health. However, the association between social support and depressive symptoms among physicians in China’ tertiary hospitals has not been explored. This study aimed to investigate its association among physicians stratifying by sex.MethodsSix hundred fifty-six physicians were enrolled from 12 tertiary hospitals of Shandong Province, China. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Social support was evaluated using the Social Support Rating Scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between social support and depressive symptoms among physicians.ResultsThe prevalence of depressive symptoms was 42.3% and the average social support score was 38.82 ± 7.53 among physicians. Lower subjective social support scores (male: β = − 0.317, p < 0.001; female: β = − 0.241, p < 0.001) and lower objective social support scores (male: β = − 0.218, p = 0.038; female: β = − 0.277, p = 0.035) were associated with high depressive symptoms among physicians. Lower support utilization scores (β = − 0.472, p < 0.001) were associated with high depressive symptoms among male physicians.ConclusionsChinese physicians had a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms and lower social support than the Chinese general population. Objective and subjective social support were inversely associated with depressive symptoms among male and female physicians while support utilization was inversely associated with depressive symptoms among male rather than female physicians. It is critical to improve physicians’ mental health through strengthening social support in China.