L’impatto psicologico a breve termine del Covid-19: una revisione sistematica della letteratura

[Autom. eng. transl.] Covid-19 appeared in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The disease causes breathing difficulties and numerous other complications such as tiredness, fever, body aches and, in some cases, diarrhea and vomiting, and can be fatal. The correlation between infectious diseases and psychological distress has already emerged during other epidemics, such as that of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and Ebola. This systematic literature review aims to investigate the short-term psychological repercussions that Covid-19 can have on the general population. Through a thematic analysis procedure, recurring themes were identified in the selected articles. The most significant results concern the impact of social media and the repercussions in terms of anxiety and depression. In particular, false news broadcast by the media further fuel the anxiety experienced by the majority of the population and factors such as being young or old, being a student, poorly educated, divorced or widowed further contribute to worsening the symptoms. Instead, following the guidelines proposed by the Government and having clear and understandable information have proved to be two factors of protection against the onset of anxiety symptoms. The research revealed a need for monitoring for the populations most at risk and the need to study these phenomena over the long term, replicating studies in Western countries.