Prevalence of depressive symptoms among intensive care unit nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
Abstract
BackgroundDespite the extensive body of literature on the prevalence of depressive symptoms among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses, the reported rates have exhibited marked inconsistency across studies. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms and to explore potential sources of between-study variation in ICU nurses.MethodsA systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and PsycINFO was conducted from database inception to September 30, 2026. The pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms was calculated using a random-effects model, with heterogeneity evaluated using the I2 statistic. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were employed to identify the potential sources of heterogeneity.ResultsA total of 38 studies comprising 22,474 ICU nurses representing 21 countries were included. The pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms in ICU nurses was 38.6% (95% CI: 31.2–46.3%, 95% PI: 2.8–84.6%, I2 = 98.9%, τ2 = 0.23). In exploratory univariate and multivariable meta-regression analyses, economic status and data collection period were associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms among ICU nurses (all p < 0.05).ConclusionAlthough the depressive symptoms among ICU nurses are common, the substantial heterogeneity and the wide 95% PI indicate that the true prevalence varies considerably across settings. This pooled estimate should therefore not be interpreted as a stable global prevalence. Instead, the findings highlight the marked variability in the prevalence of depressive symptoms across populations, economic contexts, and data collection periods. These findings highlight the need for increased attention to ICU nurses’ mental health and for context-sensitive organizational support to promote long-term psychological well-being in this high-risk population.
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BibTeX
@article{huang2026prevalence,
title = {{Prevalence of depressive symptoms among intensive care unit nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies}},
author = {Cheng-Xue Huang and Quan-Xiu Tang and Yan Lu and Yue Ruan and Xia Li},
journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1956872},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1956872},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Prevalence of depressive symptoms among intensive care unit nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
AU - Cheng-Xue Huang
AU - Quan-Xiu Tang
AU - Yan Lu
AU - Yue Ruan
AU - Xia Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/30
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1956872
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1956872
AB - BackgroundDespite the extensive body of literature on the prevalence of depressive symptoms among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses, the reported rates have exhibited marked inconsistency across studies. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms and to explore potential sources of between-study variation in ICU nurses.MethodsA systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and PsycINFO was conducted from database inception to September 30, 2026. The pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms was calculated using a random-effects model, with heterogeneity evaluated using the I2 statistic. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were employed to identify the potential sources of heterogeneity.ResultsA total of 38 studies comprising 22,474 ICU nurses representing 21 countries were included. The pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms in ICU nurses was 38.6% (95% CI: 31.2–46.3%, 95% PI: 2.8–84.6%, I2 = 98.9%, τ2 = 0.23). In exploratory univariate and multivariable meta-regression analyses, economic status and data collection period were associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms among ICU nurses (all p < 0.05).ConclusionAlthough the depressive symptoms among ICU nurses are common, the substantial heterogeneity and the wide 95% PI indicate that the true prevalence varies considerably across settings. This pooled estimate should therefore not be interpreted as a stable global prevalence. Instead, the findings highlight the marked variability in the prevalence of depressive symptoms across populations, economic contexts, and data collection periods. These findings highlight the need for increased attention to ICU nurses’ mental health and for context-sensitive organizational support to promote long-term psychological well-being in this high-risk population.
SN - 2296-2565
ER -