Faith Helps to Cope with Crisis Situations

Religiosity has proven to be an effective mechanism for managing extreme stress, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago. These findings come from a large-scale study involving more than 15,000 Italian healthcare workers, including contributions from Paola Bertoli of the National SYRI Institute. The study’s main conclusion is that eliciting spirituality in healthcare workers caused a less dramatic recollection of their distressful experience from the first wave of the pandemic.

Italy was one of the countries most severely affected by the pandemic. Healthcare workers, referred to during the crisis as "COVID angels," faced enormous emotional pressure. Negative and unpredictable events place frontline workers under significant stress, manifesting as fear, anxiety, and exhaustion.

"Various studies highlight the importance of psychological support. Given the positive outcomes observed with religious coping, it is crucial to respect individuals' spiritual needs. Our study suggests that during crisis situations, employers should foster spirituality (not necessarily religiosity) to help healthcare workers find relief. This aspect should also be considered in hospital crisis plans," Bertoli stated.

Another important factor is recognizing the role of healthcare workers in saving lives and caring for patients. "This recognition occurred in Italy through the 'COVID Angels' campaign. Appreciating the work of healthcare and caregiving staff contributes to reducing their mental strain," Bertoli added.

Extensive Data Collection Among Healthcare Workers

Approximately 15,000 respondents participated in the study, including 5,000 doctors and more than 9,000 nurses. Data were collected between June 15 and August 31, 2020, during the period when major restrictions in Italy were lifted. The findings indicate that doctors experienced fewer episodes of anxiety and fear compared to nurses. Similarly, men reported lower levels of anxiety than women. The lowest stress levels were observed among healthcare workers operating outside hospitals, while those working directly in hospitals faced greater psychological challenges.

According to Bertoli, these findings align with insights from psychology and psychiatry. Religiosity helps manage stress by reducing the intensity of distress responses in the human brain. "Religious beliefs provide an alternative interpretation of stressful situations and give them a specific meaning," Bertoli explained.

Italy as a whole was deeply impacted during the first wave of the pandemic. Between late February and mid-June 2020, 237,290 cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed, and 34,371 people lost their lives to the disease. In comparison, the numbers in the Czech Republic during the same period were significantly lower.

For more information, see the study:
ScienceDirect - Religious Coping During COVID-19