WORKING MODES AND EVALUATION OF PERCEIVED STRESS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Introduction. The global sanitary crisis due to covid 19 has had an unprecedent impact on human health and on the global economy creating unexpected challenges on work life. In Italy in order to limit the velocity of virus transmission, measures aimed towards social distancing were adopted by suspending all non essential working activities, with the recommendation of the maximum use of smart working (DPCM 01 MARCH 2020). Literature regarding precedent experiences worldwide on the impact of epidemic or pandemic flu viruses on the working enviroment report of a strong presence of correlated work stress.Objectives. The study is focalized in identifying the individual stress level correlated to work percieved in workers in the context of the unexpected scenario in adapting to work in a short time period relative to the emergency context.Materials and Methods. An epidemiological observational survey was conducted on the web during the months of May and June. The workers were invited in answering a questionnaire using a dedicated link. The questionnaire consisted in a introductive scheme(card) built ad hoc for the study containing information for the socio-demographic variables and work experience. The Evaluation Rapid Stress scale (VRS) was used for the rating of the subjective stress. The t Student test was used for the independant samples in the assay for the average scores of the VRS for sex and age. The ANOVA test was used in order to compare the various scores of the VRS in the three different working modes investigated (work on site, smart working or for both the modalities). A p0.05 was considered as level of significance. The statistical assay was conducted with the STATA software packet.Results. 337 workers answered the questionnaire. The rating of the VRS scores for sex highlighted significative differences between men and women in the levels of anxiety, depression, somatization and aggression showing higher values in women. The highest total scores of the VRS questionnaire and those related to the anxiety and somatization dimensions express higher levels of stress levels in response to the emergency situation in workers who carry out their activity in a on-site mode over the age of 40 and in parents. The comparison with the scores reported between the different working modes was resulted statistically significant.Conclusions. The results of our investigation are an expression of the perception of a widespread danger, linked to the threat of contracting the COVID-19 virus, whose mode and speed of transmission is surprising and for which therapy and in definitive treatment is not yet available. This leads to a series of emotional reactions in which stress is the main condition. The timely exploration aimed at the individuation of a stress problem in the working environment is extremely important especially in emergency situations in order to implement appropriate strategies of prevention.