Prolonged COVID 19 Outbreak and Psychological Response of Nurses in Italian Healthcare System: Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Aim of the study was to analyze the posttraumatic stress disorder risk nurses, detecting the relationship between distress experience and personality dimensions in Italian COVID-19 outbreak. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on 2 data detection (March 2020 and September 2020). Mental evaluation was carried out in Laboratory of Clinical Psychology on n.69 nurses in range age 22–64 years old (mean age 37.3; sd ± 10.3; 55% working in nursing care with confirmed COVID-19 patients (named frontline; secondline nurses have been identified by nursing care working with infectious patients but no confirmed COVID-19). Measurement was focused on symptoms anxiety, personality traits, peritraumatic dissociation and post-traumatic stress for all participants. No online screening was applied. Comparisons (ANOVA test) within the various demographic characteristics demonstrated few significant differences between groups on DASS-21, PDEQ, and ISE-R scores. Correlation analysis (Spearman test) was performed among PDEQ, DASS-21, BFI-10 and IES-R and confirmed between anxiety (DASS-21) and peritraumatic dissociation and post-traumatic stress; then anxiety is positively correlated to agreeableness variable of BFI-10 test. The emotional distress was protracted overtime (after 6 months) but in long-term personality traits resulted mediator facing subjective stress. Our finding drew details for protective and predictive risk factors as well as mental health issues of nurses dealing with pandemic: healthcare workers faced the protracted challenge caring COVID-19 patients over and over again: in short time the impact was relevant, and the prolonged exposition to the stressor was tackled by personal resources such as personality traits.

Trauma and stressor-related disorders among health care workers during COVID-19 pandemic and the role of the gender: A prospective longitudinal survey.

“…On the other hand, the media´s consumption of pandemic-related news and the lack of access to protective equipment could imply prolonged exposure to trauma which has been demonstrated to be one of the main risk factors for traumatic pathologies ( McFarlane, 2010 ). Finally, those who moved away from home over the first period may share certain personality traits which could increase the risk of ASD in November ( Ranieri et al, 2021 ).…”

Post-COVID-19 Syndrome: Nine Months after SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Cohort of 354 Patients: Data from the First Wave of COVID-19 in Nord Franche-Comté Hospital, France

“…The hypothesis that prolonged and repeated exposure to SARS-CoV-2 contributes to a higher viral load in this population has already been discussed in the literature [ 22 ], but this theory seems unlikely as exposure to infection leads to immunity in most cases. On the other hand, post-traumatic stress disorder, peritraumatic dissociation, and anxiety disorders may occur more frequently in HCWs due to the caring responsibilities in this epidemic context [ 9 , 23 ].…”

COVID-19 Psychological Impact on Health Care Workers in Saudi Arabia

“…Therefore, diagnosis of acute stress disorder 3 days to 1 month after trauma is considered a good predictor of PTSS [ 14 ]. Ranieri et al’s [ 15 ] findings were obtained in the short and long term after an Italian COVID-19 outbreak. They measured its short-time mental health impact for HCWs, highlighting anxiety as an early reaction for emotional distress and a high risk for post-traumatic stress disorders.…”