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Mental Health Symptoms among General Practitioners Facing the Acute Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Detecting Different Reaction Groups

Author

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  • Claudia Carmassi

    (Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy)

  • Valerio Dell’Oste

    (Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
    Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy)

  • Filippo Maria Barberi

    (Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy)

  • Carlo Antonio Bertelloni

    (Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy)

  • Virginia Pedrinelli

    (Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
    Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy)

  • Liliana Dell’Osso

    (Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy)

Abstract

During the 2020 first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, general practitioners (GPs) represented the first line of primary care and were highly exposed to the pandemic risks, with a consequent risk of developing a wide range of mental health symptoms. However, scant data are still available on factors associated with a worse outcome. The aim of the present study was to investigate mental health symptoms in 139 GPs in the aftermath of the first COVID-19 national lockdown in Italy, detecting groups of subjects with different depressive, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptom severity. The impact of the mental health symptoms on quality of life and individual functioning were also evaluated. A cluster analysis identified three groups with mild (44.6%), moderate (35.3%), and severe psychopathological burden (20.1%). Higher symptom severity was related to younger age, fewer years in service as GPs, working in a high incidence area for the pandemic, having a relative at risk of medical complications due to COVID-19, besides more severe global functioning impairment, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. The present findings showed that GPs, forced to perform their professional activity in extremely stressful conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, were at high risk of developing mental health problems and a worse quality of life.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudia Carmassi & Valerio Dell’Oste & Filippo Maria Barberi & Carlo Antonio Bertelloni & Virginia Pedrinelli & Liliana Dell’Osso, 2022. "Mental Health Symptoms among General Practitioners Facing the Acute Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Detecting Different Reaction Groups," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-14, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:7:p:4007-:d:781278
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Monia Vagni & Tiziana Maiorano & Valeria Giostra & Daniela Pajardi, 2020. "Hardiness, Stress and Secondary Trauma in Italian Healthcare and Emergency Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-16, July.
    2. Cheng Hong Charity Low & Tze Jui Goh & Yiong Huak Chan & Daniel Shuen Sheng Fung & Pak Yean Cheong, 2021. "Mental Resilience of Medical Practitioners in Singapore during COVID-19: Survey Results from a Webinar Course on Resilience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-10, September.
    3. Rodolfo Buselli & Martina Corsi & Sigrid Baldanzi & Martina Chiumiento & Elena Del Lupo & Valerio Dell'Oste & Carlo Antonio Bertelloni & Gabriele Massimetti & Liliana Dell’Osso & Alfonso Cristaudo & C, 2020. "Professional Quality of Life and Mental Health Outcomes among Health Care Workers Exposed to Sars-Cov-2 (Covid-19)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-12, August.
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