• Loredana Cena, Matteo Rota, Stefano Calza, Barbara Massardi, Alice Trainini, and Alberto Stefana.
• Observatory of Perinatal Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
• Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jun 17; 18 (12).

BackgroundThe ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on mental health status in a variety of populations.MethodsAn online non-probability sample survey was used to assess psychological distress symptoms and burnout among perinatal healthcare professionals (PHPs) during the pandemic in Italy. The questionnaire included the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Demographic and occupational factors associated with stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms were analyzed.ResultsThe sample size was 195. The estimated self-reported rates of moderate to severe anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and perceived stress levels were 18.7, 18.7, and 21.5%, respectively. Furthermore, 6.2% of respondents reported burnout. One factor associated with all three self-reported psychological distress issues was suffering from trauma unrelated to the pandemic (aOR: 7.34, 95% CI: 2.73-20.28 for depression; aOR: 6.13, 95% CI: 2.28-16.73 for anxiety; aOR: 3.20, 95% CI: 1.14-8.88 for stress). Compared to physicians, psychologists had lower odds of developing clinically significant depressive symptoms (aOR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.04-0.94) and high stress levels (aOR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.04-0.80).ConclusionsHigh rates of self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as perceived stress, among PHPs were reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health authorities should implement and integrate timely and regular evidence-based assessment of psychological distress targeting PHPs in their work plans.

21 keywords...

hide…