Background: Due to the extensive workload and clinical demands of nursing education, undergraduate nursing students are particularly prone to depression. Objective: to assess the level of depression and its sociodemographic and academic determinants among undergraduate nursing students. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional analysis of 258 nursing students recruited from a college of nursing at Saudi university. The data collection instruments used were a Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale. An analysis of variance and a regression analysis were conducted to examine the effects of self-esteem and sociodemographic and academic factors on the depression level. Results: The majority of students (64.0%) had a normal level of self-esteem but (31%) had moderate depression levels. Nursing students who were less than 23 years old were more likely to suffer from depression, and those who did not prefer nursing as a profession and believed that learning courses and study schedules were rigid were significantly more depressed than those who did not. Depressive symptom was predicted by stress during study time (В = .308, p = .000), preferred nursing as profession (В = -.171, p = .004), Grade Point Average (В = -.168, p = .005), and gender (В = .124, p = .035). Conclusion: In general, nursing students had a moderate level of depression. The factors identified in this study need to be evaluated further in order to assist in the early detection and control of depression in this significant population and reduce the negative consequences associated with the condition.
Key words: Depression, self-esteem, determinants, nursing students, Saudi Arabia.
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