Impact of COVID-19 outbreak on Italian healthcare workers versus general population: Results from an online survey

G. Mansueto, F.L. Lopes, L. Grassi, F. Cosci*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Objective COVID-19 pandemic has been a stressful condition. We explored life changes and health-related consequences of COVID-19 outbreak in Italian healthcare workers in comparison to the general population. Methods A total of 593 subjects participated to the online CoRonavIruS Health Impact Survey. Life events and changes, physical health and worries were evaluated referring to 2 weeks prior to the survey. Mood states and daily behaviour were retrospectively evaluated referring to 3 months before COVID-19 (T1) and 2 weeks prior to the survey (T2). Student t test, Mann-Whitney test and multivariate logistic regression analyses were run. Results Five hundred and twenty-one subjects were analysed (healthcare workers: n = 163, 31.84%; general population: n = 349, 68.16%). Healthcare workers were more likely to report fatigue and have spent more time outside home during the 2 weeks prior to the survey than the general population (chi(2)((df)) = 266.0(3(17)), p < 0.001, R-2 = 0.57). From T1 to T2, healthcare workers had a significant increase in negative mood, worry, restlessness, loneliness and a decrease in happiness, while subjects from the general population had a statistically significant increase in negative mood, worry, attention, concentration difficulties and a decrease in happiness, pleasure related to daily activities, time spent outdoors and alcohol use. Conclusion In the framework of a growing literature on healthcare workers' status during the COVID-19 pandemic, the present study allowed to identify fatigue and loneliness as psychosomatic modifiable variables in need of being monitored and, possibly managed, to ameliorate the health status of healthcare workers.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1334-1345
Number of pages12
JournalClinical Psychology & Psychotherapy
Volume28
Issue number6
Early online date21 Jul 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2021

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • fatigue
  • healthcare workers
  • loneliness
  • worry
  • CORONAVIRUS
  • WUHAN

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