Association between body mass index and mental health among nurses: a cross-sectional study in China.

PURPOSE: To examine the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and mental well-being in Chinese nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic. METHOD: This study was conducted in a tertiary hospital using a cross-sectional design. A total of 2,811 nurses were enlisted at Shengjing Hospital in China during the period from March to April, 2022. Information was gathered through a questionnaire that individuals completed themselves. The mental health of the participants was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7. Binary logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: The prevalence of nurses experiencing depression and anxiety was 7.8% (219) and 6.7% (189), respectively. Regarding depression after adjustment, the odds ratios (ORs) for each quartile, compared to the lowest quartile, were as follows: 0.91 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.53, 1.56), 2.28 (95% CI: 0.98, 3.77), and 2.32 (95% CI: 1.41, 3.83). The p-value for trend was found to be 0.001. The odds ratios (ORs) for anxiety after adjustment were 2.39 (0.83, 4.36), 4.46 (0.51, 7.93), and 2.81 (1.56, 5.08) when comparing the highest quartiles to the lowest quartile. The p-value for trend was 0.009. CONCLUSION: This study found a positive association between BMI and poor mental health among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in those who were overweight or obesity. The findings could assist in developing interventions and help policy-makers establish appropriate strategies to support the mental health of frontline nurses, especially those who are overweight or obesity.

Association between occupational stress and mental health of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional research.

AIM: This study is aimed to explore the association between the occupational stress and mental health among Chinese nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: There were 2913 nurse participants enrolled in the study. Demographic characteristics and other data were measured by a self-reported questionnaire. Occupational stress was measured by using the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) questionnaire. Mental health was measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the General Anxiety Disorder-7. RESULTS: Among the participants, 14.32% (417) experienced ERI; 8.1% (237) and 7.2% (210) reported depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Compared with a reference group at the lowest quartile of the ERI, participants in the highest quartile had an adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% CI) of 11.17 (4.42, 28.25) for incident depressive symptoms. For anxiety symptoms, the OR and 95% CI was 2.28 (1.21, 4.29). The ERI was shown to have a detrimental effect on mental health, especially depressive symptoms.

Association between long working hours and mental health among nurses in China under COVID-19 pandemic: based on a large cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Nurses were more likely to experience mental disorders due to long working hours and irregular schedules. However, studies addressing this issue are scarce; therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between long working hours and mental health in Chinese nurses during the coronavirus disease pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 2,811 nurses at a tertiary hospital in China from March to April 2022. We collected data on demographic, psychological characteristics, dietary habits, life, and work-related factors using a self-reported questionnaire and measured mental health using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and General Anxiety Disorder-7. Binary logistic regression to determine adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: The effective response rates were 81.48%, 7.80% (219), and 6.70% (189) of the respondents who reported depression and anxiety, respectively. We categorized the weekly working hours by quartiles. Compared with the lowest quartile, the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals across the quartiles for depression after adjustment were 0.98 (0.69, 1.40), 10.58 (2.78, 40.32), and 1.79 (0.81, 3.97) respectively, the P for trend was 0.002. The odds ratios across the quartiles for anxiety after adjustment were 0.87 (0.59, 1.30), 8.69 (2.13, 35.46), and 2.67 (1.26, 5.62), respectively, and the P for trend was 0.008. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that extended working hours increased the risk of mental disorders among nurses during the coronavirus disease pandemic, particularly in those who worked more than 60 h per week. These findings enrich the literature on mental disorders and demonstrate a critical need for additional studies investigating intervention strategies.