The Correlation between Perceived Stress, Anxiety, Depression and Body Mass Index (BMI) of Pharmacy Staff in Miri Hospital

Abstract

Introduction:

Prolonged stress could overwhelm one’s mental health. Major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder ranked in top ten for causes of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYS). Sarawak comes in fifth states with the highest number of severe depression case detected at primary health care in the year 2014.

Objective:

This study aims to assess the degree of perceived stress, anxiety and depression among staffs in the pharmacy department of Miri Hospital as well as to observe the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and perceived stress, anxiety and depression.

Methods:

We conducted a cross-sectional study covering 74 staff in the pharmacy department of Miri Hospital. A combined validated questionnaire on perceived stress scale (PSS-10) and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) distributed for assessment. Participants’ self-reported body weight (kg) and height (cm) used to calculate their body mass index (BMI). Pearson’s correlation used to evaluate the correlation between perceived stress, anxiety and depression on body mass index (BMI).

Results:

Majority of the participants, 75.7% (n=56) has moderate stress, and 5.4% (n=4) reported high degree of perceived stress. About two-third of pharmacy staff have a normal degree of anxiety (62.2%, n=46) and depression (79.7%, n=59). It noted that 12% (n=9) and 8% (n=6) of the staff have an abnormal degree of anxiety and depression respectively. Pearson’s correlation shown that there was a high degree of correlation coefficient (r) between perceived stress and anxiety (r: 0.709), as well as between perceived stress and depression (r=0.549). There was a similarly strong association between anxiety and depression with a correlation coefficient of 0.621. The study also proved that there was a poor correlation between BMI and perceived stress, anxiety and depression.

Conclusion:

Our study concluded that there is no relation between BMI and perceived stress, anxiety and depression. However, high perceived stress would lead to anxiety as well as depression. Also, there is a correlation between anxiety and depression.