[HIGH PREVALENCE OF BURNOUT AND DEPRESSION MAY INCREASE THE INCIDENCE OF COMORBIDITIES AMONG HUNGARIAN NURSES].

Background And Purpose: Poor mental health among health care professionals may have a significant impact on public health. There is limited information about the prevalence and potential consequences of burnout and depression among nurses in Hungary. The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between burnout as well as depression and somatic symptoms as well as comorbidities among nurses in Hungary.

Methods: Cross-sectional study with self-administered questionnaires among 1,713 nurses. Burnout and depression were assessed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-HSS) and the Shortened Beck Depression Questionnaire, respectively. Somatisation was measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-1 5). Correlates of burnout and depression were assessed by logistic and linear regression analyses.

Results: The prevalence of depressive symptom and clinical depression was 35% and 13%, respectively. The prevalence of moderate and high level emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and decreased personal accomplishment was 44%, 36% and 74%, respectively. We identified burnout and depression as a predictor of high prevalence of subjective somatisation. Whilst burnout showed a strong association with increased prevalence of hypertension, depression predicted almost all examined diseases, in particular, cardiac and cerebrovascular diseases, as well as neoplasms.

Conclusion: We found high prevalence of burnout and depression among nurses in Hungary. As depression has been shown to be associated with higher prevalence of comorbidities than burnout, its consequences may be more significant. Appropriate prevention, diagnosis, and adequate treatment of burnout and depression may decrease the prevalence of ensuing comorbidities.