Depression and Its Associated Factors among Vietnamese Undergraduate Nursing Students

Abstract

Objective: To identify depression and its related factors amongundergraduate nursing students from one particular nursing institutionlocated in the Northern part of Vietnam. Method: Two hundred and sixtyonenursing students participated in this study. The self-administeredquestionnaires consisted of students’ general information, the Center forEpidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem (RSE) scale and the Personal Resource Questionnaire part II(PRQ-II). Descriptive statistics, One-way ANOVA, and Pearson’s productmoment correlation coefficient were employed to analyze the data.Results: It was found that 45.6% of nursing students reported scoresindicating depression (CES-D ≥ 16), average mean score for depression ofthese participants was 14.98 (SD = 5.08). Self-esteem and social supporthad negative correlation with depression (r = -0.33, P < 0.01 and r = -0.31,P < 0.01, respectively). No significant differences were found betweendepression among the nursing students in different years of study as wellas in those with different educational achievement. Conclusion: Thispreliminary study brought about important information regarding depressionand its related factors among Vietnamese nursing students. A highdepression prevalence among nursing students suggests depression is animportant mental health which deserves all parties’ concern.Keywords: depression, nursing students, Vietnam, self-esteem, socialsupport