Maria Chiara Carriero1, Luana Conte2, Marica Calignano3, Roberto Lupo4, Antonino Calabrò5, Pietro Santoro6, Giovanna Artioli7, Cosimo Caldararo8, Maurizio Ercolani9, Maicol Carvello10, Antonio Leo11. 1. Santa Chiara" Institute, Rome (RM), Italy . chiaracarriero92@gmail.com. 2. Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research Applied to Medicine (DReAM), University of Salento and ASL (Local Health Authority) Lecce (LE), Italy; Laboratory of Biomedical Physics and Environment, Department of Mathematics and Physics "E. De Giorgi", University of Salento, Lecce (LE), Italy. luana.conte@unisalento.it. 3. University Hospital, Parma (Italy). marica.calignano@gmail.com. 4. "San Giuseppe da Copertino" Hospital, ASL (Local Health Authority) Lecce, Italy . roberto.lupo@uniba.it. 5. "Nuovo Ospedale degli Infermi" Hospital, ASL (Local Health Authority), Biella, Italy. anto.cala76@gmail.com. 6. MathCounseling Lecce, Italy. pietro.santoro@hotmail.com. 7. IRCCS, "Santa Maria Nuova" Hospital, USL (Local Health Authority) - Reggio Emilia, Italy . giovanna.artioli@ausl.re.it. 8. University of Bari, Lecce, Italy. cosimo.caldararo@uniba.it. 9. "ASUR Marche Area Vasta 2" Health Mental Department, Ancona, Italy. mau72.ercolani@libero.it. 10. Brisighella Community Hospital, ASL (Local Health Authority) of Romagna, Brisighella, Italy. maicol.carvello2@unibo.it. 11. "Santa Chiara" Institute, Lecce, Italy. toninoleo@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Coronavirus has put a strain on the response capacity of health systems and there are various psychological effects on health workers. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the psychological impact of the coronavirus emergency on physicians and nurses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A study was conducted on a sample of nurses and physicians (n=770), who were asked to fill in a questionnaire investigating physical and psychological problems. It also included the IES (Impact Event Scale), STAI (State Trait Anxiety Inventory) scale and BDI (Beck Depression Inventory). RESULTS: 87.7% of the sample was represented by nurses (n=675), 12.3% (n=95) by physicians. 52.3% (n=403) of the participants believed that they had not received good training on the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment. 18.2% (n=140) declared that they had experienced a moment in which they had had to choose among the patients whom to treat for an essential therapy. Among the psychological symptoms, stress (76.2%; n=587), anxiety (59.4%; n=457) and depression (11.8%) prevailed and only 3.9% of the healthcare personnel sought help from a psychologist. The total score of the IES-R scale was 3.47. A significant association emerged between exposure and the risk of contagion (p-value = 0.003), stress was more present among nurses than among physicians (77.5% vs. 67.4%; p = 0.003). Among physical symptoms, headache (52.2%; n=402) and pressure injuries (24.8% n= 191) prevailed. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study show that mental health monitoring of health workers, who are at risk of developing major psychological disorders, is a priority.
BACKGROUND: The Coronavirus has put a strain on the response capacity of health systems and there are various psychological effects on health workers. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the psychological impact of the coronavirus emergency on physicians and nurses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A study was conducted on a sample of nurses and physicians (n=770), who were asked to fill in a questionnaire investigating physical and psychological problems. It also included the IES (Impact Event Scale), STAI (State Trait Anxiety Inventory) scale and BDI (Beck Depression Inventory). RESULTS: 87.7% of the sample was represented by nurses (n=675), 12.3% (n=95) by physicians. 52.3% (n=403) of the participants believed that they had not received good training on the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment. 18.2% (n=140) declared that they had experienced a moment in which they had had to choose among the patients whom to treat for an essential therapy. Among the psychological symptoms, stress (76.2%; n=587), anxiety (59.4%; n=457) and depression (11.8%) prevailed and only 3.9% of the healthcare personnel sought help from a psychologist. The total score of the IES-R scale was 3.47. A significant association emerged between exposure and the risk of contagion (p-value = 0.003), stress was more present among nurses than among physicians (77.5% vs. 67.4%; p = 0.003). Among physical symptoms, headache (52.2%; n=402) and pressure injuries (24.8% n= 191) prevailed. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study show that mental health monitoring of health workers, who are at risk of developing major psychological disorders, is a priority.
Authors: Felice Curcio; Cesar Iván Avilés González; Maria Zicchi; Gabriele Sole; Gabriele Finco; Oumaima Ez Zinabi; Pedro Melo; Maura Galletta; José R Martinez-Riera Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-07-08 Impact factor: 4.614