Prevalence of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms in a Sample of Italian Citizens During the First COVID-19 Pandemic Wave: a Cross-sectional Survey

Objectives: to assess the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a sample of Italian citizens during the first COVID-19 pandemic wave and its association with sociodemographic characteristics, housing conditions, and lifestyles modifications.

Design: cross-sectional survey.

Setting And Participants: between 21st April and 7th June 2020, a self-administered online questionnaire aiming at investigating mental well-being and lifestyle habits during the lockdown period was disseminated online. Respondents were recruited through a snowball sampling.

Main Outcome Measures: PTSD symptoms were assessed using a validated screening tool, the SPAN (Startle, Physiological arousal, Anger, Numbness) questionnaire.

Results: the study population is composed of 6,687 participants, of whom 71.5% were females. The mean age of the sample was 48.7 years. Globally, 43.8% of the participants reported symptoms of PTSD, especially females. PTSD prevalence showed a decreasing trend across age groups. The likelihood of PTSD symptoms was higher among those who increased alcohol consumption, decreased physical activity, and experienced restless sleep.

Conclusions: a high prevalence of PTSD symptoms emerged from this survey, especially among women and younger subjects. Preventive strategies should be implemented to protect the mental health of the most vulnerable citizens in a period of emergency.