The Short-Term Psychological Impact of Covid-19: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Covid-19 has originally spread in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease causes respiratory impairments and many other complications, such as fatigue, fever, muscle soreness and, in some cases, diarrhea and nausea, and can lead to death. The correlation between infectious diseases and psychological distress has already emerged during other epidemics, for example during SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and Ebola. We conducted this systematic review to investigate the short-term psychological consequences of Covid-19 on the general population. Through a thematic analysis procedure, recurring themes have been identified. The most significant results concern the impact of social media, anxiety, and depression. In particular, fake news reported by the media increase the level of anxiety experienced by the population, and factors like being young or being old, being a student, being single or widow, along with a low level of education, further exacerbate anxiety symptoms. On the other hand, following the guidelines proposed by the government and having clear and comprehensible information were identified as protective factors. Our findings highlighted the need to monitor the high-risk population and to investigate the long-term effects of the pandemic.