Prevalence of Depression Among Nurses of Iran: A Meta-analysis

Background: Depression is one of the most common and serious disorders which threatens the mental and physical health of the nurses. This article inves-tigated prevalence of depression among the nurses of Iran using meta-analysis. Methods: This meta-analysis study was done in 2021 using a random-effects model. Data were collected from January 2000 to June 21, 2021, from Pub-Med, Web of Science, Scopus, Magiran, SID databases and Google Scholar search engine. The data were analyzed using CMA software (Version 2.2.064, the US, Biostate Company). Results: 18 articles were retrieved. The total prevalence rate of depression in Iranian nurses was 12 % [95 % CI= 8.03-17.10]. The highest prevalence rate of depression among nurses was 40.90 % [95 % CI= 32.60-49.70] in Razavi Khorasan, in 2020, and the lowest prevalence rate was 1.70 % [95 % CI= 0.06-4.40] in Lorestan, in 2017. A significant statistical correlation was observed between the prevalence of depression, the sample size, and the work experi-ence (P-value 0.05). Moreover, we found that the highest rate of depression was based on BDI (Beck s Depression Inventory) questionnaire, and the east-ern region of Iran. Conclusion: According to the results, depression has prevailed among one tenth of the Iranian nurses. The finding of this study can help improve the deci-sion- making process for treating depression in Iranian nurses.