Prevalence of and risk factors associated with depression among nursing students acting on the frontline of COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

IntroductionThe widespread devastation caused by the ongoing waves of COVID-19 imposed a significant burden on the healthcare labor force. At the frontline in the battle against the deadly COVID-19 virus, nursing students in Vietnam were at a much-increased risk of developing mental health conditions. This study aims to identify the prevalence of depression and its related factors, along with coping strategies used by nursing students in the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam. Materials and methodsThe study was cross-sectional in nature, with convenient sampling at the epicenters of COVID-19 outbreaks in Vietnam (N = 191) from April to November 2021. After conducting a questionnaire pilot, the data was collected strictly using an internet-based approach. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 items were used to identify the risk of depression among nursing students. The Chi-square test was used to assess the differences between coping strategies among nursing students. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify risk factors associated with depression. FindingsThe percentage of nursing students affected by depression was 21.5%, and almost half of the nursing students (49.2%) had no coping strategies for dealing with mental health concerns. Among the remaining nursing students, video-based mental consultation was the most popular method (25.7%). Being females (AOR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.1-6.7), collecting bio-samples (AOR: 2.9, 95% CI: 1.4-6.2), providing support to vaccination spots (AOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1-5.1), and not vaccinating against COVID-19 (AOR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.1-9.1) were found as risk factors for depression among nursing students. ConclusionOur research revealed a significant number of nursing students suffering from depressive symptoms and underscoring the need for more effective methods of dealing with this condition. Depression management and coping skills focusing on female populations and those whose direct contacts with infectious sources should be implemented in the nursing curricula and continuous training credits. Those trainings, would support future nurses in handling crisis situations better.

Automated summary

This study found that nursing students in Vietnam faced a higher risk of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic, with almost half of the students lacking effective coping strategies. Risk factors for depression among nursing students included being female, collecting bio-samples, providing support to vaccination spots, and not getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance depression management and coping skills, especially focusing on female students and those with direct contacts with infectious sources, in nursing curricula and continuous training.