Low Self-Esteem as a Risk Factor for Depression Incidence among Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic in Latvia

Activity: Talk or presentation typesPoster presentation

Description

It is a well known fact that higher risk for developing depression is associated with lower levels of self-esteem but causality of it still remains an unanswered and highly debated question. Aim of the study is to assess 9 months incidence of depression and its association with self-esteem levels among health care workers (HCW) during Covid-19 pandemics in Latvia. A longitudinal quantitative study in the population of HCW in Latvia was done during April-June 2020 with repeated online surveys. Data was collected every 3 months in a 9 month period. Participants were selected by a non-probability sampling approach. Participants without symptoms of depression during the first survey were included in later surveys. Depression was assessed using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), cut-off score-10. Self-esteem was assessed using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale (RSES) where a score of 10-25 indicates low, 26-29 medium and 30-40 high level of self-esteem. Data analysis was performed using SPSSv25 and analysed with the Chi-Square Test. 232 HCW were included in data analysis, of whom 40.9% (N=95) developed symptoms of depression during the first 9 months of pandemics. In the beginning 7.3% had a low, 13.8% medium and 78.9% high self-esteem levels, after 9 months - 13.4, 20.3 and 66.4%. Rosenberg`s self-esteem test median for those with depression decreased from 32 (IQR 27.0-36.0) to 29 (IQR 25.0-33.0), for those without depression- 34 (IQR 32.0-37.0) and during 9 months median didn't change (IQR 30.0-38.0). Lower self-esteem was associated with higher 9 months incidence of symptoms of depression (p<0.001).. 40.9% of HCW developed symptoms of depression during the first 9 months of Covid-19 pandemics in Latvia. Those HCW with lower self-esteem scores after 9 months were more likely to develop depression. The study reveals that self-esteem is a variable that is associated with incidence of symptoms of depression.
Period30 Mar 2023
Event titleRSU International Research Conference 2023: Knowledge for Use in Practice
Event typeConference
OrganiserRīga Stradiņš University
LocationRiga, LatviaShow on map
Degree of RecognitionInternational

Keywords

  • Self-Esteem
  • Depression
  • Healthcare
  • COVID-19

Field of Science

  • 3.2 Clinical medicine