Psychological impact in Healthcare Professionals during emergencies: the Italian experience with COVID-19

The COVID-19 outbreak imposed an overwhelming workload as well as emotional burdens on healthcare professionals (HCPs). In May 2020, an online survey was administered to HCPs in Italy to assess the pandemic’s psychological impact and to investigate possible predictive factors that led to individual differences. Female and younger respondents, especially those operating in northern Italy experienced more frequently negative emotional states such as irritability, anxiety, loneliness, and insecurity. However, positive feelings, first of all solidarity, were also reported especially by female and older workers. The majority of the negative as well as positive emotional states were experienced almost equally by both doctors and nurses, and independently of the operational unit in which they operated. Our findings can provide useful information in planning more tailored psychological interventions to support this category of workers.