Stories of Life during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: A Qualitative Study

Tomaino, Silvia Caterina Maria; Cipolletta, Sabrina; Kostova, Zlatina; Todorova, Irina

doi:10.3390/ijerph18147630

Cited by 18 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…The main evidence that emerged concerns the pandemic as an opportunity for change. Some respondents reported greater awareness for what is really important in life, showing an increase in self-reflection, which is an experience highlighted even by Sun et al [ 17 ] on Chinese HCWs and Tomaino et al [ 4 ] on the general Italian population. This could suggest that an increment in self-reflection is a common experience during the pandemic for everyone.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Participants expressed the need to visit their partners, relatives and friends or to be reunited with their families when they lived in another city or region. As seen in Tomaino et al [ 4 ], disruption in social life was pointed out by many Italian people, noting suffering from the absence of physical contact with their loved ones. This fact, along with the other imposed restrictions, led the people interviewed to feel limited in social life, in cultivating their hobbies, and in making plans freely [ 4 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As seen in Tomaino et al [ 4 ], disruption in social life was pointed out by many Italian people, noting suffering from the absence of physical contact with their loved ones. This fact, along with the other imposed restrictions, led the people interviewed to feel limited in social life, in cultivating their hobbies, and in making plans freely [ 4 ]. This could explain why the need of freedom was frequently expressed by the HCWs in the present study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This could suggest that an increment in self-reflection is a common experience during the pandemic for everyone. Specifically, the HCWs stated that the pandemic did not have only negative outcomes, but also gave people the chance for positive growth [ 4 ], with many of them recognizing the importance of conditions such as good health and having a family [ 4 , 17 ]. Finally, some respondents expressed anger for the level of isolation of ill people and the distress they have lived, or for the disinformation and fear that the press caused.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During these periods, with the aim of reducing the spread of the virus, various measures were applied, such as closing business and meeting places, imposing lockdowns in specific regions and local areas, etc. The outcome was a rift in everyday life activities and routines with an increased mental burden for the population [ 4 ] and a heterogeneous prevalence of the virus, even in nearby regions. For example, in Veneto (a region in northern Italy) the balance of deaths for all causes was contained in the First Wave (+19.4%), while the close Lombardy recorded the highest rates of the country (+111.8%) [ 5 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Caring for Caregivers: Italian Health Care Workers’ Needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Leo

Martucci²,

Grossi³

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Aim: An online survey was proposed to the health workers of a public hospital of an Italian northern city. This was done with the aim of assessing the unmet needs of a special population under strain (the health carers) due to the fight against the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). Results: By answering the survey, five hundred and nine people provided their observations, complaints and suggestions. This qualitative material was organised into three main areas: (1) relationship with the health organization management; (2) needs of the health workers; and (3) perceived consequences of the pandemic. Discussion: Overall, respondents expressed dissatisfaction for the unpreparedness of their health units and the confusion created by frequent changes in operational guidelines. Many participants felt abandoned, unheard and unprotected by the health organization, whilst the psychological support service formally set up by the hospital for its health workers was grossly under-utilised. Instead, support from colleagues and family constituted the main protective factor to counteract negative emotions. Restrictions in social contacts and recreational opportunities were frequently mentioned. Several respondents reported a sense of pride for their work and commitment; many others saw in the pandemic an opportunity for personal growth and better focus on important life values, like family and solidarity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Caring for Caregivers: Italian Health Care Workers’ Needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Leo

Martucci²,

Grossi³

et al. 2021

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“If you know from the start ‘how long’, then you can always adjust to it better”: a qualitative study of adults’ experiences and coping with two years COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

Schneider,

Duden,

Landmann

et al. 2023

Curr Psychol

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This study aimed to identify positive and negative experiences of adults in Germany, coping strategies, contexts and wellbeing trajectories across two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews (n = 14 adults) were conducted during spring 2022 and thematically analysed. Experiences and wellbeing trajectories corresponded to different phases of the pandemic, individuals’ contexts, and coping strategies. Many of the negative and positive experiences were perceived long-term changes, including deteriorated health behaviours, physical and mental health, social withdrawal for some, and improved health behaviours, personal growth, improved working life for others. Experiences, coping and consequently wellbeing were strongly affected by individuals’ contexts. Cognitive adaptation to a long duration of the pandemic and sufficient support appeared key to effective coping. We recommend more structural support for those most affected, preparing the public for long-term disruptions of their lives and addressing social inequalities of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Making sense of the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative longitudinal study investigating the first and second wave in Italy

Marinaci¹,

Venuleo²,

Gennaro³

et al. 2021

Heliyon

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The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the crucial role of people's compliance for the success of measures designed to protect public health. Within the frame of Semiotic Cultural Psycho-social Theory, we discuss how the analysis of people's ways of making sense of the crisis scenario can help to identify the resources or constraints underlying the ways the citizens evaluate and comply with the anti-covid measures. This study aimed to examine how Italian adults interpreted what was happening in the first wave of the pandemic and how the interpretation varied in the period up to the beginning of the second wave.Diaries were collected for six months, from 11 April to 3 November 2020. Participants were periodically asked to talk about their life 'in the last few weeks'. A total number of 606 diaries were collected. The Automated Method for Content Analysis (ACASM) procedure was applied to the texts to detect the factorial dimensionsinterpreted as the markers of latent dimensions of meanings-underpinning (dis)similarities in the respondents' discourses. ANOVA were applied to examine the dissimilarities in the association between factorial dimensions and production time.Findings show that significant transitions occurred over time in the main dimensions of meaning identified. Whereas the first phase was characterized by a focus on one's own daily life and the attempt to make sense of the changes occurring in the personal sphere, in the following phases the socio-economic impact of the crisis was brought to the fore, along with the hope to returning to the "normality" of the pre-rupture scenario. We argued that, despite the differences, a low sense of the interweaving between the personal and public sphere emerged in the accounts of the pandemic crisis throughout the sixth months considered; a split that, we speculate, can explain the "free for all" movement that occurred at the end of the first wave and the beginning of the second wave.

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Stories of Life during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: A Qualitative Study

Cited by 18 publications

References 33 publications

Caring for Caregivers: Italian Health Care Workers’ Needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Caring for Caregivers: Italian Health Care Workers’ Needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“If you know from the start ‘how long’, then you can always adjust to it better”: a qualitative study of adults’ experiences and coping with two years COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

Making sense of the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative longitudinal study investigating the first and second wave in Italy

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