Influence of Self-Esteem and Demographic Variables on Anxiety among Female Nurses

Abstract

The study examined the influence of self esteem and demographic variables on anxiety among female nurses. Sixty nurses selected from surgery and emergency units of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu. Enugu state Nigeria were used in the study. The Index of Self Esteem (ISE) developed by Hudson (1982), was used as one of the research instruments to measure self esteem and was validated in Nigeria by Onighaiye (1996) which has 25 items and state trait anxiety inventory (STAIY-I) developed by Spielberger (1983) was used to measure general anxiety and was validated in Nigeria by Omoluabi (1987). The design for the study was 2x3 factorial design, while 3 way analysis of variance was adopted as the appropriate statistical tool to test the hypotheses postulated. The result indicated that the first hypothesis which stated that; there will be a significant difference between high and low self esteem on anxiety among female nurses was accepted at P<.05 level of significance. The second hypothesis which stated that, there will be a significant difference between emergency unit and surgery unit on anxiety among female nurses was accepted at P<.05. The third hypothesis which stated that, there will be a significant difference between short service and long service on anxiety among female nurses was accepted at P<.05. The fourth hypothesis which stated that, there will be a significant interaction influence of self esteem, hospital units and years of service on anxiety among female nurses was accepted at P<.05. The result vividly showed that nurses generally manifest anxiety with respect to self esteem and irrespective of hospital unit and year of working experience at P<.05. These results were discussed in line with health care delivery system and culture in Nigeria and their implications stated. Based on the findings, the researchers therefore recommended that clinical Psychologists should be employed in various critical units (Emergency and Surgery) to help nurses to cope with anxiety and other psychological problems.