TY - JOUR
T1 - Determinants of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders in Italian university students during the Covid-19 outbreak: the leading role of sex, health concerns, and health engagement
AU - Dellafiore, F.
AU - Caruso, R.
AU - Nania, T.
AU - Pittella, F.
AU - Barello, Serena
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Background: The unprecedented changes in daily-life caused by Covid-19 restrictions had many psycho-logical and adverse effects, not only in sufferers but also in the general population, including university students. To date, little is known about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms experienced by university students during the peak of Covid-19 in Italy. Thus, the study describes Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders related to the Covid-19 outbreak among Italian university students and identifies the psychological distress risk and protective factors. Study design: A multicentre observational cross-sectional study. Methods: Data collection was involved in a self-reported web questionnaire, using the on-line platform Qualtrics®, in March and April 2020, involving convenience and consecutive sampling of Italians university students in different Italy regions. Results: A sample of 720 Italian university students was enrolled. Data analysis highlighted the leading role of sex, health concerns, and health engagement as negative or positive determinants of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders in Italian university students during the Covid-19 outbreak. In particular, it is very insightful having discovered that health engagement is a protective factor of students' mental health. Conclusions: This is the first study identifying sex, health issues and health commitment as positive or negative determinants of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders symptoms in Italian university students during the Covid-19 epidemic. Accordingly, this new achievement could be the starting point for the development of awareness campaigns for the psychological health of Italian university students.
AB - Background: The unprecedented changes in daily-life caused by Covid-19 restrictions had many psycho-logical and adverse effects, not only in sufferers but also in the general population, including university students. To date, little is known about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms experienced by university students during the peak of Covid-19 in Italy. Thus, the study describes Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders related to the Covid-19 outbreak among Italian university students and identifies the psychological distress risk and protective factors. Study design: A multicentre observational cross-sectional study. Methods: Data collection was involved in a self-reported web questionnaire, using the on-line platform Qualtrics®, in March and April 2020, involving convenience and consecutive sampling of Italians university students in different Italy regions. Results: A sample of 720 Italian university students was enrolled. Data analysis highlighted the leading role of sex, health concerns, and health engagement as negative or positive determinants of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders in Italian university students during the Covid-19 outbreak. In particular, it is very insightful having discovered that health engagement is a protective factor of students' mental health. Conclusions: This is the first study identifying sex, health issues and health commitment as positive or negative determinants of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders symptoms in Italian university students during the Covid-19 epidemic. Accordingly, this new achievement could be the starting point for the development of awareness campaigns for the psychological health of Italian university students.
KW - COVID-19
KW - COVID-19 outbreak
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Disease Outbreaks
KW - Humans
KW - PTSD
KW - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
KW - Psychological distress
KW - Risk and protective factors
KW - Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
KW - Students
KW - Universities
KW - University students
KW - COVID-19
KW - COVID-19 outbreak
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Disease Outbreaks
KW - Humans
KW - PTSD
KW - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
KW - Psychological distress
KW - Risk and protective factors
KW - Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
KW - Students
KW - Universities
KW - University students
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/204575
U2 - 10.7416/ai.2022.2479
DO - 10.7416/ai.2022.2479
M3 - Article
SN - 1120-9135
VL - 34
SP - 236
EP - 247
JO - ANNALI DI IGIENE MEDICINA PREVENTIVA E DI COMUNITÀ
JF - ANNALI DI IGIENE MEDICINA PREVENTIVA E DI COMUNITÀ
ER -