Factors influencing depression in Chinese civil servants

We analyzed depression in Chinese civil servants, using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and a survey completed by people employed by the Civil Service in 6 cities in eastern China. The results showed that the HAMD is a valid and effective measure for assessing depression in Chinese civil servants. As we had assumed, Chinese civil servants manifested a strong sense of despair, which was consistent between the genders. In general, however, depression had a greater impact on female than on male civil servants. In the linear regression model with demographic variables as independent variables, we found that gender, education level, and marital status were significant predictive factors of depression, but income and age were not. We suggest that although civil servants may enjoy a more lucrative job and a better material lifestyle compared to other people in China, the issue of their mental health merits attention.