People working in government institutions tend to have lower rates of depression.
This is evident from the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey report, a collaborative research effort between the Health Development Policy Agency (BKPK) of the Ministry of Health and Statistics Indonesia (BPS).
According to the report, in 2023, the prevalence of depression among civil servants (PNS), Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), Indonesian National Police (Polri), and state-owned enterprise (BUMN/BUMD) employees was only 0.3%. This means that less than 1 in 100 people experienced depression.
This figure is the lowest compared to other professional groups, as shown in the graph.
Based on employment status, the highest depression rate was among the unemployed and students/school children, at 2%.
The depression rate among laborers, drivers, and domestic helpers (ART) was also relatively high, at 1.6%.
Meanwhile, the depression rate among private sector employees, entrepreneurs, fishermen, and farmers was relatively low, below the national average prevalence of 1.4%.
BKPK and BPS conducted this survey on approximately 315,000 national household samples.
The survey on depression was conducted using the mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI) questionnaire, a short interview method consisting of 10 yes/no questions.
The questions were asked by interviewers to individuals aged 15 and over. Respondents were categorized as experiencing depression if they answered "yes" to at least 2 out of 3 questions related to major symptoms, and "yes" to at least 2 out of 7 additional symptoms.
Quoting information from the Ministry of Health's website, depression is a mood disorder that affects a person's thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
Someone experiencing depression may feel sad, anxious, lose interest in activities they usually enjoy, feel worthless, or have recurring negative thoughts about themselves, life, or death.
Depression can cause decreased energy, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, and other physical problems.
Untreated depression can also lead to serious and dangerous complications, including an increased risk of suicide, anxiety disorders, physical disorders such as chronic pain, and problems in interpersonal relationships.