Relationship between depressive state, job stress, and sense of coherence among female nurses

Background: People with a strong sense of coherence (SOC) have a high ability to cope with stress and maintain good physical and mental health.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between depressive state, job stress, and SOC among nurses in a Japanese general hospital.

Materials and methods: A self-reporting survey was conducted among 348 female nurses in a general hospital. Job stress was measured using the Japanese version of the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) scale. Depressive state was assessed by the K6 scale. SOC was assessed with the SOC scale, which includes 29 items. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine factors that significantly affect depressive state.

Results: SOC, over-commitment, effort-esteem ratio, and age were significantly correlated with the depressive state (β = -0.46, P < 0.001; β = 0.27, P < 0.001; β = 0.16, P < 0.001; β = -0.10, P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions: SOC may have a major influence on the depressive state among female nurses in a Japanese general hospital. From a practical perspective, health care professionals should try to enhance the SOC of nurses.