ABSTRACT
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic represents risk to physical health and psychological well-being. Specifically, it causes concerns among minoritized communities, such as transgender/non-binary individuals. The study investigates the experience of this group in Italy during the pandemic and identifies risk factors that exerted negative impacts on psychological well-being and physical health. Methods: The study developed an online questionnaire to investigate psychological status, access to medical health services, and factors such as predictors of risk outcomes among transgender/non-binary people during lockdown restrictions. Responses were collected (n = 256) on April 2020. Descriptive analysis, univariate analysis of variance, and t-test were conducted. Results: The respondents confirmed several issues, such as worries about the future (58.2%), negative emotions (46.9%), and self-uncertainty (52.7%) during the pandemic. Difficulties in undertaking hormone therapy and access to health facilities were reported. Living with family members represented a significant stressor for psychological well-being, whereas lack of support from LGBT + communities was reported. Subjects undergoing psychological therapy during the pandemic reported increases in depression, anxiety, somatization, and lack of privacy in the household. Conclusions: The study findings provide a framework for critical aspects experienced by transgender/non-binary individuals during the pandemic. Specifically, the study provides evidence of the vulnerability of this population underlined by multiple difficulties. Policy Implications: The study findings provide an overview of the experience of transgender and non-binary people during the pandemic, insights regarding risk factors, and aspects that require adequate attention and care. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13178-021-00633-3.
ABSTRACT
The extraordinary health emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic represents a new challenge for mental health researchers and clinical practitioners. The related containment measures may be a risk factor for psychological distress and mood disorders, especially in at-risk populations. This study aims to explore the impact of COVID-19 on postpartum depressive symptoms in mothers with children below 1 year of age. An online questionnaire survey was therefore conducted in Italy between May and June 2020. The survey consisted of several self-administered questionnaires: besides some ad-hoc questionnaires, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Scale of Perceived Social Support (SPSS) and the Maternity Social Support Scale (MSSS) were used. Two hundred forty-three Italian women were included in the study. The prevalence of postpartum depression symptomatology among mothers was 44%, as measured through the EPDS (cut-off >12). Women who spent the isolation in northern Italy adopted maladaptive coping strategies significantly more than women living in areas at lower risk. The analysis highlighted a significant difference between the group that was not directly affected by the virus and women who have had a direct or indirect contact with it. Besides situational factors specific to the pandemic, the results show that there are some risk factors tied to the personal history of the mother (e.g., having had a previous abortion). These data should inform and enlighten future protocols of intervention.