Frequency of Depression and Coping Strategies among Nurses InA Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi

Objectives: The study aims to determine the frequency of depression among nurses and assess thecoping strategies they employ in a tertiary care facility in Karachi.Methods: A cross-sectional study was done from April 2024 to August 2024, involving 264 nurses across various wards at Liaquat National Hospital and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) was used to assess depression severity, while the Brief-COPE questionnaire evaluated coping strategies. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23, with Spearman’s rank correlation applied to examine associations between coping strategies and depression. Ethical approval was obtained from the Liaquat National Hospital Ethical Review Committee (Ref# 0995-2024-LNH-ERC).Results: The study found that 88.6% of the nurses experienced depressive symptoms, with the majority exhibiting mild depression. The mean HAM-D score was 13.94 ± 5.92, indicating moderate depression. The Brief-COPE Approach score averaged 25.26 ± 7.21, suggesting moderate use of proactive coping strategies, while the Brief-COPE Avoidant score averaged 18.62 ± 7.13. Among coping strategies, “Religion” had the highest mean score (5.35), while “Behavioral Disengagement” had the lowest (2.45). Significant correlations were observed between overall coping scores and depression, though the Brief-COPE Approach score showed a weak, non-significant correlation with depression.Conclusions: The study finds a high prevalence of depression among nurses, with religion being the most commonly employed coping strategy. However, the correlation between coping strategies and depression suggests that current coping mechanisms may be inadequate, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to better support nurses in managing their mental health. Future research should explore the effectiveness of underutilized coping strategies and investigate the influence ofcultural and institutional factors on depression and coping mechanisms. These findings underscore the imperative for healthcare policies to prioritize nurse well-being, thereby enhancing patient care quality in Pakistan