Psycho-Emotional Impact of the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Health Care Workers of a Large COVID-19 European Hospital

INTRODUCTION The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had a massive impact on public health, not only physically but also psycho-emotionally, especially in occupational groups professionally engaged in the care of COVID-19 patients. OBJECTIVES The study was performed in a leading European COVID-19 hospital to assess the psychological distress experienced by workers (HCWs) engaged in COVID-19 wards in the early pandemic phase. METHODS The study population included 1229 workers from units taking care of SARS-CoV-2 patients. They were recruited by mailing them a questionnaire aimed at collecting the following information: 1) sociodemographic data;2) depression, anxiety, and stress scales (DASS-21);3) impact of event scale-revised (IES-R);4) perceived stress scale (PSS);and 5) job interface analysis. The answers were collected via Google® forms and then statistically analysed. Regardless of the questionnaire outcome, psychological support was also offered on a voluntary basis. RESULTS Approximately two-thirds of the study population reported no symptoms according to the DASS-21 scale. Similarly, according to the IES-R scale, approximately 36% of subjects were not impacted by clinically valuable events;the remaining workers manifested subclinical or clinically valuable and impact. On the PSS scale, only 3% of the workers did not manifest stress symptoms, while the remainder had stress symptoms but of mild magnitude. No statistically significant differences in the levels of depression investigated through different scales were apparent in the various occupational categories. Symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression were more pronounced in females, while higher stress levels were apparent in younger age groups. Only 51 workers, most of whom suffered from SARS-CoV-2 infection, required clinical psychological counseling, and more than half underwent subsequent psychological support. CONCLUSIONS The obtained results are consistent with most literature data, whereby anxiety, depression and stress are associated with gender (female), age (18-44 _vs_ over 55) and having cared for patients with COVID-19.

[Psychological interventions in hospital during the first-wave of CoViD-19: an overview of the experiences of the Units of Clinical Psychology in Lombardy, Italy.] / Interventi psicologici in ospedale ai tempi della CoViD-19: una panoramica delle realtà proposte dalle Unità Operative di Psicologia (UOPSI) della Lombardia.

The current CoViD-19 pandemic threatens both physical and psychological well-being. According to the bio-psycho-social model, Units of Clinical Psychology of the Hospitals in Lombardy (Italy) reacted to this risk, offering diversified interventions, described in the present contribution. The medical staff operated on the front line during the emergency: psychologists addressed their needs through individual clinical work, sessions of decompression and debriefing. At the same time, Units of Clinical Psychology supported the hospitalized positive patients by conducting psychological consultations, either on the ward or through devices. Moreover, some hospitals activated helplines to address the needs of the population and family members, who were particularly vulnerable during the relative's illness and after the mourning.