Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on psychological health and nutritional habits in Italy: results from the #PRESTOinsieme study

• Published in: BMJ open 2022-04, Vol.12 (4), p.e048916-e048916
• Main Authors: Lorenzoni, Giulia, Azzolina, Danila, Maresio, Elisabetta, Gallipoli, Silvia, Ghidina, Marco, Baldas, Solidea, Berchialla, Paola, Giron, Maria Cecilia, Silano, Marco, Gregori, Dario, Destro, Nicolas, Lanera, Corrado, Zobec, Federica
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Anxiety - epidemiology; Anxiety disorders; Communicable Disease Control; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression - epidemiology; Eating behavior; Female; Habits; Humans; Italy - epidemiology; Lifestyles; Mental depression; nutrition & dietetics; Pandemics; Polls & surveys; Population; Post traumatic stress disorder; Public Health; Questionnaires; SARS-CoV-2; Shelter in place; Social networks; Socioeconomic factors; Stress; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Variables
• ISSN: 2044-6055; 2044-6055
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-048916

ObjectivesThe present work aims to present the results of the ‘PRESTOinsieme’ (which is ‘we will be together soon’ in English). The web-based survey (www.prestoinsieme.com) describes changes in lifestyle habits and symptoms of psychological discomfort in the Italian population during the COVID-19 lockdown.DesignCross-sectional online survey disseminated by messaging apps (ie, WhatsApp and Telegram) and social networks (ie, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn).SettingItaly.ParticipantsItalian population older than 16 years of age.ExposureCOVID-19 lockdown.Main outcomes and measuresSurvey respondents filled out a set of validated questionnaires aimed at assessing lifestyle habits and psychological health, that is, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) to screen for psychological distress, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) to screen for post-traumatic stress and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).ResultsSurvey respondents totalled 5008. Moderate or severe psychological distress was reported in 25.5% and 22% of survey respondents, respectively. Lower age, female gender, being unemployed (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.22 to 2.02) or being a student (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.31 to 2.28) were predictors of more severe depressive symptoms.ConclusionsThe present study is one of the largest population-based surveys conducted in Italy during the first COVID-19 lockdown, providing valuable data about the Italian population’s psychological health. Further studies should be conducted to understand whether psychological distress persists after the end of the lockdown.